


To Each His Own | BbangKyu

by Driwed



Category: The Boyz (Korea Band)
Genre: Fanfiction, Gay, Love, M/M, Romance, bbangkyu, bbangq - Freeform, bxb - Freeform, jujae, kpop, theboyz, theboyzfanfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-17
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-06-12 00:37:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 42
Words: 30,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15327891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Driwed/pseuds/Driwed
Summary: Kim Younghoon comes from a family who could see the strings of fate. However, he believes that you can create your own fate and not have to follow the strings. Ji Changmin was never one to believe in love nor care to bother with it. What will happen when these two meet?





	1. Brief Words

**Hi there! It's your favorite author, hopefully, coming out with another The Boyz fanfic because of lack thereof.**

**Remember, despite what i write in this ff, please love and support The Boyz! Just like your other stans, they deserve everything and more.**    
**EVERYTHING IS PURE FICTION.**

**So, read it and let me know how you feel about it!**

**Once again, everyone is the same age for convenience, most anyway. Also, don't get on my case for making younghoon the eldest. ik he has an older brother**

**if this isn't your cup of tea, i have other stories that might be!**   
** My Bully ** **(completed)**   
** Sin ** **(completed)**   
** To J.B ** **(completed)**   
** Forget Me Not ** **(completed)**   
** Dawn of Love ** **(completed)**   
** Seaside ** **(completed)**   
** disillusion ** **(completed)**   
** Breathless ** **(completed)**   
** Heated Desire ** **(completed)**   
** MedicalHockeyAu ** **(completed)**   
** detraction ** **(completed)**   
** Drizzle ** **(completed)**   
** guidance ** **(completed)**   
** Dashing ** **(completed)**   
** Fancafe ** **(temporarily completed)**   
** Artist ** **(completed)**   
** Florescent Nostalgia ** **(completed)**   
** Skirt & Sister Chan ** **(oneshots)**   
** Different ** **(completed)**   
** little ** **(completed)**   
** He's Bad He's Worse **   
** Extricate **


	2. Prologue

Kim Younghoon came from a family who could see the strings of fate. However, such an ability was only granted to the first born child. His mother was also a first born child, so she educated him on why he saw floating strings. He learned that different colors had different meanings to them. He also learned that the darker the string's color was, the deeper the relationship was. However, there was one colored string that his mother couldn't explain due to not having seen it before in her lifetime.

Despite being given this power, he didn't believe in fate. He believed that nothing in life was set in stone and you didn't have to follow that one and only path.

"What are you staring at?" Younghoon looked up and saw a familiar little boy standing in front of him. "Strings." He knew he couldn't see them, but he wasn't one to lie to others. "You're weird." Younghoon's lip trembled and felt tears sting his eyes. He thought he was used to it, but it still hurt being an outcast when you're young. "I didn't mean to make you sad. I'm sorry." Younghoon felt arms wrap around him then received a pat on the head. "I'm Lee Juyeon! Who are you?" "Kim Younghoon." "You may be weird, but you seem interesting. Let's be friends." Younghoon looked down at his wrist and saw a peach string form between them. "Okay..."

His friendship with Juyeon had grew into an unbreakable bond as they grew up. Younghoon and Juyeon attended the same middle school and it was there that he encountered his red string. He didn't know who was at the other end until he met a boy named Choi Chanhee. However, he didn't want to believe that this person was the one and only person he could ever love.

In his time in middle school, he eventually started seeing violet strings, which made him shudder. He was surprised to have seen it one day around Juyeon's wrist connecting to a guy he had never spoken to before. He was happy with the fact that Juyeon had a red string connected to their new friend, Jaehyun. Unlike the peach and red strings, violet strings came and went like the wind.

Towards the middle of their high school days, Juyeon and Jaehyun had gotten together and Younghoon couldn't have been happier for them. He and Chanhee had also become closer, not to Younghoon's liking. Surprisingly, as if fate wanted them to stay together, they all ended up at the same college.

This is where the story begins...


	3. Chapter 1

Younghoon and Juyeon were sitting alone in a classroom as the school day had ended. "Can you tell me again about these strings and what their colors mean?" "Juyeon, I've told you numerous times. Though, I'm still surprised that we're best friends after you called me weird when we were little." "I don't know myself. I couldn't bring myself then to just leave you there." Younghoon gave Juyeon his signature eye smile then let out a sigh. "The strings. Red is for love, true love. Peach is for friendship. The darker the string, the stronger the bond, like us." Younghoon picked up the string and wiggled it, forgetting that Juyeon couldn't see it at all.

"Mint is for distaste. It becomes darker for hatred. I've hardly seen dark ones. Yellow is for family relation. The darker it is, the stronger your relation is with that family member. Orchid is for death/dying. When the person on the other end passes on, the string turns into a flower bracelet." He looked down and saw that Juyeon was taking notes of what he was telling him. "Continue." "Indigo is for relations that are beyond saving. Violet is for lust. I've seen it quite a few times around your wrist and most of them weren't connected to Jaehyun." He noticed Juyeon looked nervous as he made a mark on his paper. "Don't tell Jae, please. I can't help it if some people look attractive..." Younghoon chuckled then patted Juyeon's shoulder.

Younghoon looked at his wrist as he admired all the strong friendships he had formed over time. His eye stopped on the odd color out. "Looking at the strange one again?" "How'd you know?" "You look spaced out when you look at it. Are you sure you haven't met the other person?" Younghoon nodded then let out a sigh. "Maybe you're defective." "Hey!" Juyeon immediately stood up and ran towards the door with Younghoon chasing him from behind.

Younghoon continued to chase Juyeon in the halls until he felt a tug on his wrist. He stopped then looked at his wrist.  _"What was that? Was it a string? It's never tugged before..."_  he thought. Younghoon carefully watched his wrist and was surprised to see the odd string going in a different direction than usual. He followed the string and ended up outside the principal's office then saw the rest of the string forming. An unfamiliar person stepped out and looked at him with surprise. "Who are you?" "That should be my line." "Well, I'm Kim Younghoon. I'm a student here." "I can tell. You wouldn't be here without reason." Younghoon looked over the person who was wearing ripped jeans, a baggy t-shirt and combat boots. "And you are?" "Ji Changmin, a future student here." Something about saying Changmin's name in his head felt natural, like he's constantly said it millions of times.

Juyeon had spotted Younghoon and proceeded to jog over before stopping. He noticed the unfamiliar person was talking to his best friend about something. "Oh, Juyeon. Come over here." Younghoon gestured for him to come over. "This is Ji Changmin. He'll be attending here starting tomorrow." "Oh, so you're that kid the others have been talking about?" "Didn't think I'd be so popular already." Juyeon took notice of Younghoon's smile as he rarely showed his eye smile to others besides him.

The duo walked away from Changmin and Younghoon noticed that Juyeon had his thinking face on. "What is it? Is something bothering you?" "Yeah. Who is that guy? You rarely show your eye smile to others, but you just met him and boom, there it was." Younghoon shrugged as he wasn't sure himself. "But, I did find out that he was on the other end of this teal string." "Really? That's interesting. Does no one in your family know what it means?" "Correct. He also had other strings, a lot of peach, one mint, two orchid bracelets, a red, the teal one and one indigo." Juyeon looked at him with concern. "Isn't indigo the beyond saving one?" Younghoon nodded as he now wanted to know more about this Changmin.

___________

"Mom, I'm home." He heard his mom walk into the living room then give him a hug. "How was school?" "Same as always. Except the part when I found the person on the other side of this string." He wiggled the teal string as his mother looked at it in awe. "Is it a girl?" Younghoon shook his head then looked at his mother's slightly disappointed face. "Well, it's great that you now know who it is. All that's left is to find out out what it means." "Right..." Just as his mom was about to walk away, he suddenly remembered something. "Mom, what does it mean if a string tugs?" He noticed his mother looked at him in shock then immediately composed herself. "It means that you're not average like me."

He couldn't sleep that night as he remembered his meeting with Changmin. Despite only having met him then and there, he felt as if they've been friends for forever. He picked up the teal string and inspected it, as if it would give him answers.  _"What are you..."_

** a/n: ** **don't forget to vote, share and comment! how's the beginning? should i include string information at the beginning of chapters? and yes, he lives at home cause the college isn't far from where he lives**


	4. Chapter 2

Younghoon was walking to class when Chanhee appeared and nudged his side. "Younghoonie~" He rolled his eyes at the stupid nickname Chanhee had given him. "I told you not to call me that." "Sorry. So, are you free after school today?" "Yes. Why?" "Let's get ice cream together." "I guess we could..." He faintly smiled as Chanhee did little cheers as they entered the classroom. Younghoon noticed a familiar figure leaning against the wall next to the board. "Changmin?" Changmin opened his eyes then gave Younghoon a smile. "So you're in this class? Guess I won't have to worry about not having a buddy." "Consider us friends. I'd like to get to know you." "Same here." They shook hands then Younghoon noticed how well their hands had fit together.

Class had ended and Younghoon found himself face to face with Chanhee. "Who was that?" "New kid, Ji Changmin." "He seems cool. I gotta get to my next class though. See ya!" Younghoon smiled softly as Chanhee left. "Oh ho ho. Is that your boyfriend?" Younghoon clicked his tongue, avoiding eye contact with whoever it was.

"No. Just because we're connected doesn't mean I have to love him." "Huh...?" He looked up and saw Changmin giving him a confused look.  _"I had said my thoughts aloud..."_  "No, he's not my boyfriend." "I don't know how people do it. Falling in love and all that mushy stuff. It makes me sick. Especially when you think you're both all in, but it was only you in the long run." Younghoon wasn't sure how to respond, but he did voice the question that rose in his mind. "Who hurt you?" "No one. I just don't care for romance. It's a waste of time." Younghoon only hummed in response, not wanting to dive deeper in yet. "Hey, do you believe in strings of fate?" "No. I don't believe in myths. If there's isn't anything that can prove they exist, I refuse to believe it." Younghoon sighed then subconsciously tugged on the strings. "What are you doing?" "Oh...it's a nervous habit."

___________

The day had passed by and Younghoon sought out Juyeon. He entered their usual hangout spot then quickly turned around.  _"There they go again..."_  "Oh, hey Younghoon." He assumed they were done with their make out session and turned back around. "Save it for the bedroom." "You're just upset 'cause you don't have a lover." Juyeon hit his lover's arm who only cackled in return. "So, what's new, Youngfool?" "I swear, Juyeon, I'm going to strangle your boyfriend." "Hey, I can't control what he says." Despite what Jaehyun says, he did care for his friends in his own weird way. "Anyway, I learned that Changmin doesn't believe in love. Or myths."

Younghoon sighed as he thought of how someone couldn't believe in love. Though, he was one to talk, not believing in fate. "Well, he either had a bad experience or he just hasn't met the right person." "He claims he hasn't had a bad experience and I don't think he was lying." "How can you be so sure?" Younghoon thought about it then shrugged. He didn't know the answer himself.

The trio exited the classroom and Younghoon spotted Changmin talking to Chanhee.  _"That's weird. I never knew someone could have two red strings. I'll discuss it with my mom."_  he thought as they approached the two. "Younghoonie, where were you? You said you weren't busy after school." "One, you don't seem to understand that I don't like being called that. Two, I forgot about my after school meeting with Juyeon here." Chanhee crossed his arms and pouted. "Well, let's get going then Hoonie. See what I did there?" "I really wish I hadn't." Despite Chanhee's lame pun, Younghoon still gave a small smile.

___________

"Younghoon, we've known each other since middle school." Younghoon didn't exactly like where this was going, as this is how most people start before confessing. He quietly ate his ice cream as he waited for Chanhee to continue. "I don't know. I just feel really giddy around you. It makes me happy getting to see you everyday." Younghoon wanted to stop Chanhee but he wasn't sure how to really tell him. "Chanhee..." He looked at Chanhee's face and immediately felt guilty for what he was about to say. "Are you confessing to me?" "No...yes..." "Chanhee...You're a wonderful person. Anyone would be lucky to have your heart. But, I don't think I could accept your feelings." He was surprised to hear Chanhee laughing, but assumed he was just masking his true feelings.

"I figured you couldn't. Though I was happy whenever you smiled at me. It made me believe I was making progress."  _"He isn't wrong...I did start to catch feelings at one point."_  he thought as Chanhee continued on. "I'm sorry, Chanhee. I know saying this will hurt even more, but we can still be friends. If you want to." "Sure, why not." He pulled Chanhee close then noticed that their red string had started to become a mixture of red and peach.  _"This is weird...Did my mom ever go through any of this? Though, this does prove my point."_  he thought as Chanhee offered him the rest of his ice cream.

"Mom, I'm home." He looked around but didn't see his mother. He went upstairs to her room and saw that she had headphones on. He tapped her shoulder and she took them off. "Hey, sweetie. Something troubling you?" "Yeah. My red string..." His mother looked down at his wrist then chuckled. "It can happen. As long as both parties honestly and truly want it." "So you've experienced it before?" His mother nodded then lifted up one of her peach strings. "This used to be a red string, believe it or not." "Wow, I never knew." "Of course not, I didn't think you were ready to learn about the complexity of it all." "And one more thing..." She gave him a small nod meaning for him to go on. "So, is it possible for someone to have two red strings?" "It is. It's unusual, but it happens. It's nothing bad." He nodded then sat down to tell her about his day.

** a/n: ** **don't forget to vote, share and comment! well that was a twist.**


	5. Chapter 3

Younghoon found himself standing in front of Changmin's desk the next day in class. "Are you going to speak or just stare at me? I'm fine with either, I know I'm good looking." Younghoon lightly chuckling and was surprised to hear Changmin chuckling along with him. "Sorry, I didn't mean to seem like I was staring. If you don't mind me asking, why did you come to this school?" Younghoon had caught the brief frown on Changmin's face before it disappeared. "Needed a change of scenery." "Oh. Well, you've come to the right place." Younghoon bit his bottom lip as he didn't really know what else to say, so he walked away.

Class had ended and Younghoon saw Jaehyun walk over to him. "I saw you earlier. Befriending the new kid I see." "Yep. We seem to get along better than I thought." Jaehyun pulled a chair over then sat down. "He's a strange one, you know." Younghoon raised an eyebrow as Jaehyun continued on. "Some people say that despite how sweet he looks, he's cold hearted." "Really? Did they say anything that'd make him that way? They could be lying." Jaehyun shrugged then looked back at Changmin. "Seeing as how he hasn't snapped towards you, either you're special or they are, in fact, lying." "He just got here and people are already starting trouble."

Juyeon wrapped one arm around Younghoon's shoulder and the other around Jaehyun's. "So, what's the plan for after school?" "If I can recall, Jaehyun here said you two had a small date today." He couldn't help but laugh as Juyeon immediately ran to the dining hall. "Now I see why you wanted me to mention it. The damn fool forgot." Jaehyun patted his shoulder then nodded. "And you did a wonderful job. Now excuse me while I go rough him up." "Don't kill him." "No promises."

___________

As Younghoon was exiting the classroom to go to the restroom, he noticed Changmin was heading in the direction of the closed off classroom. A small fire had occurred in there, but it was already falling apart beforehand. The teal string had felt tighter and started tugging. He quietly followed Changmin from a distance then saw that his suspicion was correct. "What are you doing?" Younghoon noticed that he had startled Changmin as he jumped. "I could ask the same thing." "That room is closed off. Hold on, how do you even know about this room?" "People talk. Thought I'd check it out."

Younghoon grabbed Changmin's wrist and struggled to drag him away. "What class are you in right now? I'm taking you back there. And promise me you won't go in there because you could get hurt." "I'm not promising you anything." Younghoon had stopped then turned to face Changmin. "Fine. What class?" "15C." Younghoon found it easier than before as he dragged him then noticed Changmin was letting him do so. "Just don't go in the room, ever. Okay?" "If saying okay would quiet you, then okay." Younghoon let go of his wrist as they arrived at 15C. He walked away and headed back to his classroom.

___________

"He did what?" "He was going to enter that room. I don't really know, but I felt like the string was telling me to go after him." Juyeon looked at his wrist, despite not being able to see them. "Now you're feeling things from the strings?" Younghoon remembered that he hadn't told Juyeon yet about the new happenings. However, he didn't really feel like talking about it at the moment. "Yeah. That's about it."

"I knew Youngfool was weird, but not this weird." Jaehyun made Juyeon get up then sat down. He pulled Juyeon onto his lap then wrapped his arms around his waist. "He can see strings of fate, Jae." Jaehyun burst into laughter then quieted down as he saw they weren't laughing. "Oh. That's weird, but cool. So, I'm guessing you can see mine?" Younghoon nodded as he looked over Jaehyun's wrist. He noticed the violet string from yesterday had disappeared, which was an unusual time frame. "Did you meet up with someone yesterday, Jaehyun?" "No. Why do you ask?" "Your violet string disappeared after a day. It usually takes 3 days to disappear." Juyeon had stood up and was glaring at Jaehyun.

"Well, Jae? Who were you with?" "I don't even know what's going on." Younghoon started but stopped as Juyeon pulled his notes out about the violet string. "Ooooh..." They both waited for Jaehyun to respond who instead made a dash for the classroom door. "You're dead, Jaehyun!" Younghoon sighed and wondered if mentioning it was the right thing to do. He gathered his things and exited the classroom. He noticed Changmin was leaning against the wall opposite of the door. He figured he might've been waiting for someone else, so he continued on his way out of the school.

"Hey!" Younghoon kept walking, assuming he was calling to whoever it was. "Younghoon!" He stopped walking then turned around. "Can we talk?" "I have so-" he started but stopped when he felt something tug on his wrist. "You have what?" "Nothing, let's talk while we walk. Though, I'm sure we live in different directions." Younghoon and Changmin walked side by side in silence as Younghoon started walking to the playground that was near their school. The elementary school that housed it was only blocks away. It was pretty convenient in his opinion.

"About earlier...I'm sorry. You were just trying to keep me from possible danger." Younghoon remained silent, unsure of what to say. "I'll promise you." "Wait, say that again?" "I said I'll promise you." Younghoon held out his pinky and Changmin hooked it with his. "And don't think about lying. I got all of this recorded." He couldn't help but laugh at Changmin's surprised face. He waved his phone in the air then put it back in his pocket. "Smart guy. I like that." Younghoon couldn't help but smile at Changmin's compliment. "So, is this all you wanted to talk about?" "At that moment, yes, but now I've started thinking of questions." "I'll answer whatever I feel comfortable answering." "That's fair."

They sat underneath a tree despite a bench being right next to them. "Why did you ask me about strings of fate?" "Just curious. I ask most people about it. And not surprisingly, many people don't believe in myths, just like you." "Do you believe in myths?" Younghoon opened his mouth then immediately closed it as he tried coming up with a different answer. "I'm guessing you do. It's kinda written on your face." "I think they're cool. Myths are just grown up fairy tales in my opinion." Changmin had started laughing which caused him to flash his signature eye smile. "For a guy who looks like this, you're pretty cute."

"W-What...?" Changmin wiped his eye then cleared his throat. "I said, you're pretty cute despite your looks. One would assumed you'd be...manlier I guess?" Younghoon realized what Changmin had meant and immediately felt embarrassed. He cleared his throat then voiced a question he had. "If you don't mind me asking, do you really not want to believe love?" He calmly waited for Changmin's response then started getting antsy as the silence continued. "Correct. Like I said, it's a waste of time. If you get in too deep, you'll end up hurting more. That's why it's better if you don't love to begin with. It's a defective human emotion in my eyes."

** a/n: ** **don't forget to vote, share and comment! i honestly believe someone hurt this boy**


	6. Chapter 4

"Defective? You really believe that?" Changmin nodded then took out his phone. "We don't really need it, we can be compassionate without love. It's possible." Younghoon could only stare at Changmin. "You're really fixated on this..." "Right. It'll take a miracle to convince me otherwise. That or someone I feel I wouldn't mind doing stupid things for, but that's impossible." "Well, I hope whoever it is finds you soon." He thought of the red string around Changmin's wrist that connected to Chanhee then wondered if Chanhee is that person.

"Hey, you've met my friend Chanhee, right?" "Is he the one with blond hair and a naturally pretty face?" "Bingo." Changmin nodded then changed his sitting position. "What about him?" "You should get to know him. He's a real great guy." "Well, if you're saying it, then it's got to have some truth." Younghoon looked away in embarrassment. "You trust my words?" "You don't look like the type to lie about things, but I could be wrong."

Younghoon rubbed the back of his neck then looked back at Changmin. He suddenly remembered what Jaehyun had told him earlier. "People say you look sweet, but you're actually cold hearted. This is made up, right?" "It was just once. She was seriously pissing me off." "Oh." Changmin patted Younghoon's shoulder then stood up. "Looks like we've talked long enough. Here." Younghoon took his hand as he helped him up. "We should talk more like this. It's quite enjoyable." Younghoon nodded then waved as Changmin had started walking away.

Younghoon entered his home and immediately made a bee line to the refrigerator in the kitchen. He noticed his mother wasn't around, so he figured she was busy with her side job. "Hey, kiddo." "You're home early, Dad." "My co-worker was kind enough to finish up for me." Younghoon gave him a small smile then left the kitchen with his snack.

"It's nice to have you at the dinner table again, dear." Younghoon loved the relationship that his parents had. They fought like any couple did, but they always worked out the kinks. "Mom, do you know why some people don't believe in love?" "Everyone has their reasons. It could be from watching their parents or from a really bad relationship." Younghoon quietly nodded and went back to eating. "Don't worry about it, kiddo. If they don't want to love, then let them. Just focus on you." "Got it..."

___________

**~Time skip: 1 week~**

The weekend had arrived and Younghoon didn't have any plans, which wasn't unusual. He didn't mind it though, since he preferred to be alone when doing certain things. "Hoon, do you mind helping me around the house?" "Sure." He quietly helped his mother until his service was no longer needed. "Go our and have fun. Be an adolescence." "Don't you s-" His mother shushed him then sent him upstairs to go get changed.

He walked downstairs and watched his mother hold out some money to him. "I don't want to see you back here any time before 5, you hear?" "I understand." She ushered him out of the house then closed the door behind him. "Guess I'll go try that place out..." He dialed Juyeon's number and waited for him to pick up. "Hey. You don't usually call on the weekends." "I called to see how you and Jaehyun are after what I said yesterday." Younghoon took note of Juyeon's silence and started expecting the worst. "He admitted to it. We're...we're taking a break." "Taking a break is just delaying the inevitable...Why don't you come join me today? I'm heading to that snack shop that some people at school have been talking about." He received confirmation then hung up.

"Hey. So this is the place?" "Yep. I'll pay for the both of us." They were seated and shown the menu. "Just these?" "Yeah." The waiter walked away and they were left alone again. Younghoon looked at Juyeon's wrist and was sad to see spots of indigo on his red string. "Juyeon..." "Hm?" Younghoon bit his bottom lip then decided to tell him. "You're red string...it's...it has indigo spots forming on it." Juyeon had seemed surprised at the news. "Be honest with yourself. Do you really want you two to end? I know you have to consider the fact he cheated as well..."

The waiter brought over their food and drinks then left. Younghoon continued to pat Juyeon's back as he cried into his chest. Younghoon handed him a napkin and watched Juyeon dab at his eyes. "Did you ask him why he did it?" "He claims that he just went along with her to hang out and didn't think things would go that far. How could he not?!" Younghoon sighed then looked at Juyeon's string. More than half of it was indigo. "Is there a problem?" Younghoon looked up and was surprised to see Changmin. "Oh. Hey there." "You work here?" "Well, I'm not wearing this for show." They chuckled and were surprised to hear Juyeon chuckle as well. "What happened here?" "Hi-" "My lover cheated on me."

Changmin clicked his tongue then gave Younghoon a smug look. "What did I tell you? You'll hurt more the deeper you were into it." "I'm sure Jaehyun didn't really want to cheat." "Well, it already happened. I still love him...but I can't accept this..." Younghoon was relieved to see that the indigo invasion had died down. "Well, he looks better. Now, back to what I came here for. Are you finding everything okay. Need anything?" They shook their heads, so Changmin bowed and left.

Juyeon waved to Younghoon as he made his way back home. Younghoon decided to stay behind and wait for Changmin's shift to end, whenever that was. He was also surprised to see him working at all. After what seemed like hours, he spotted Changmin leaving the snack shop. As if being drawn to him, he watched as Changmin made his way over to the convenience store where he waited. "Did you really wait this whole time?" "Yep." "Well, that was unnecessary, but sweet." "You seem to be popular with the ladies." Changmin shrugged as he leaned against the surface. "Your friend proved my point from the other day." "I'm aware. I really want to know what made you despise love." Changmin chuckled then gave him an answer. "Love itself."

** a/n: ** **don't forget to vote, share and comment! the agony...**


	7. Chapter 5

"That's a strange answer." Changmin quietly sipped on the drink he bought not too long ago. "Do you mind if I ask you some questions, Changmin?" "Fire away." "What do you do for fun?" "I dance. I find it relaxing despite how tired it makes you after a while. My siblings and I used to have one day that we dedicated to spending time with each other." "Used to?" Younghoon waited for an answer but Changmin remained mute. "Moving on then. When is your birthday?" "November 4th." "Favorite color?" "The sky." "Are you close with your family?" He noticed Changmin had took his time as he looked lost in thought. "No." Younghoon looked at his wrist and confirmed that it was true. The yellow strings were so light you'd think they were transparent. However, he didn't know why the yellow strings were loose around his wrist.

"Do you live far from the school?" "Nah. It's a nice walk." Younghoon wasn't sure what else he could ask without invading his privacy. "Is that all?" "Yeah." "Then, you answer those same questions." "Well, I like to play video games with my younger brother. I also like just sitting in a cafe and drinking some coffee on a nice day." "That's cute. Maybe I should join you one day." Younghoon smiled then thought of the other questions. "My birthday is August 8th. Favorite color is also the sky. I am close with my family. I feel I can go to them for anything. I don't live too far from school. It's only three stops away." "Seems like we both love the sky, eh?" "Seems to be the case." Changmin held his drink out to Younghoon. "Want a sip?" "I'm fine. Thank you for the offer though."

Younghoon noticed Changmin had started yawning and would occasionally close his eyes. "Are you tired? You can always go home. I'll be fine." "I wasn't tired before. And I'm not that eager to just leave you." "They do say you yawn around someone or people that you're comfortable with." He heard Changmin chuckle which caused a smile to creep onto his face. "I guess I am." He noticed that Changmin had looked serious for a moment then went back to his softness. "Do you feel like you've known me for like, forever? 'Cause I do towards you. Usually it isn't this easy to just talk to someone you've just met, you know?" "I do. It's interesting now that I think about it. Though, I'm glad because you're a cool guy." "So are you." They fist bumped then left the convenience store.

"Are you going home now?" "Yeah. After the shift I just had, I'm gonna need a lot of sleep. You should stop by more often." "I'll take note of that. Be safe getting home." "You too." Younghoon walked away then checked the time on his phone. He sighed as it was only a little after 3:10. "Younghoon!" He turned around and saw Changmin jogging over to him. "You know, sleep can wait. Let's go do something fun." "Are you sure? Sleep is important." Changmin grabbed his wrist and started pulling him down the street.

___________

"Woah, I didn't know there was a place like this." "You should wander around more. There's also this place that sells vintage clothing. We can check that out too." "Changmin, you're amazing." It made Younghoon happy to see a smile on his face as he didn't show one often. They walked into the arcade and decided to stick together. "What about this one?" "Seems fun." They started up a game of air hockey and Younghoon couldn't believe how aggressive Changmin had become. "3 more points and I win Younghoon." "I'm aware. You're so vicious." "You can't win by being soft." Younghoon sighed then decided it was time to let loose. After a fierce battle, Younghoon had won in the end. "Remind me to never taunt you." Younghoon winked then dragged Changmin to another game.

After playing the games they wanted, they crossed over to the vintage store. "Strange, I don't feel tired anymore despite having done physically draining things." Younghoon shrugged then ushered him into the store. He took in the sight before him as everything seemed eye catching to him. One section caught his attention and he walked over to it. "These are nice shirts...It's a shame that I can't afford it." "It does suit you." Younghoon put the shirt back and continued to look around.

They walked out and noticed the sky had gotten darker. "Well, I had fun." "Same here. Things seem better with you, as strange as that may sound." Younghoon felt a tug and tightness then noticed it was two strings, Juyeon's and Changmin's.  _"This is weird..."_  Younghoon ushered Changmin back into the store so he could get a better look at the strings. A loud sound was heard and they all looked out to see what it was. "The overhead sign fell...That lazy employee didn't fasten it right..." They watched the fuming employee dial a number on the phone. "We were just standing there too..." Younghoon suddenly remembered then dialed Juyeon's number. "I'm sorry Changmin. I have to go." He quickly exited the store and made his way to Juyeon's.

** a/n: ** **don't forget to vote, share and comment! what's up w juyeon.**


	8. Chapter 6

Younghoon knocked on the door of the Juyeon's room. He tried the door and was surprised to see that it was left open. He quickly opened the door and heard the sound of voices. Younghoon went in the direction of the voices. He saw Juyeon in tears and Jaehyun on the floor.

"What's going on in here?" Younghoon asked as he stood next to Juyeon. "He-" "I wanted to make up with Juyeon. I didn't like how things currently are. He freaked out and pushed me. Lost my balance and here we are now." Younghoon helped Jaehyun up then looked at the both of them. "Well, keep talking it out. I'll just be here to keep the both of you from spilling blood." Juyeon clicked his tongue then took a step back. "Juyeon, I don't want us to end because of my dumb mistake." "What did she have that I don't? Oh right, she has breasts, smoother skin probably, a vag-" "Just, don't finish that. I know that no amount of apologies can fix this, but I still love you. You're all I can think about."

"Sure I am. You clearly weren't when you were with her." Younghoon watched on as Jaehyun looked like he was about to just accept defeat. He noticed the indigo on their red string had gone down more since they started talking. "Juyeon..." Younghoon quietly gasped as Jaehyun embraced Juyeon who was trying to fight his way out of his hold.  _"_ _It's_ _like a kdrama. Kinda wish I had popcorn right now."_  he thought as he watched Juyeon slowly stop fighting. "I hate that I still care about you after what you did. I hate that I still want you..." "I told you back in middle school, I'll always come back to you, no matter how many times you push me away."

Younghoon left the room to give them privacy and sat down outside the room.  _"Glad that worked out...I feel like the strings are talking to me in their own way, but what do they mean? The tugging? Tightness? Looseness?"_  Many questions swirled in his mind as he remembered his mother saying she didn't know anything about it except the changing of strings.

He heard Juyeon and Jaehyun walk over and was surprised to see a different color where their red string used to be. "Juyeon..." "Hmm?" "Your red string...it's periwinkle now...I don't know what this color means." Jaehyun looked at the both of them in confusion then remembered the conversation from the other day. "Really...? I wonder what it means." Juyeon linked his arm with Jaehyun who gave him a forehead kiss in return. "Well, I'll just walk myself out..." Younghoon sped walked to the elevator and left.

___________

He checked the time on his phone and was glad that it was finally after 5. An hour after 5 to be exact. He made his way home after a long day of dealing with people and the strings.

"Yo!" Younghoon smiled as he ruffled his younger brother's hair. "Hey, I just fixed this. Now I have to do it again." "Sorry, sorry. I'll help you if you want." "Really? I'll take you up on that offer then." Younghoon chuckled as he followed his brother to the bathroom. "So, who's the girl?" Younghoon couldn't help but laugh as his brother jumped at the question. "There's no girl..." "Your tone of voice says otherwise." "Shut up..." Younghoon looked at his brother's wrist and noticed that the red string had fully formed after all this time. "I'll stop. Is someone coming over though?" "Yeah. Our old neighbors." "Oh, it's been so long since we've seen them. Glad they found time to come see us." Younghoon fixed up his brother's hair then ushered him out of the bathroom.

"Mr and Mrs. Kim! It's so good to see you guys again!" Younghoon's mother ushered the family in and led them to the dining room. Younghoon noticed their son had grown quite a lot. "It's been awhile, Younghoon." "Likewise." Younghoon initiated the handshake and was surprised to see that he remembered. "So, where do you go to school now?" "Oh, remember the one that was near our homes? It's that one." "Ooh. Is it like what the rumors said?" "Nah, it's the opposite actually. It's real pretty." Younghoon nodded then gestured for Sunwoo to take a seat.

After a long evening of catching up, The Kims had bid them goodbye and the house was soon quiet once more. "Younghoon, do you mind helping me with my history homework? I'm confused by it." "Sure. I'll do the best I can." Younghoon was still curious as to who the person was on the other end of his brother's red string.

** a/n: ** **don't forget to vote, share and comment! who do you think is his younger brother? is it a member or someone made up?**


	9. Chapter 7

**~Time skip: 2 weeks~**

Younghoon, Juyeon and Jaehyun were chatting at their table when two people suddenly sat down. "We're inviting ourselves." Younghoon lightly chuckled as he shifted so that Chanhee and Changmin could have more space. "And the family has gotten bigger." "Welcome to the tea table, Changmin. Here is where we spill all the gossip we heard in the morning or whenever." Younghoon and Juyeon both playfully hit Jaehyun's arm. "Well, I heard that Sadol went all the way with some guy." Everyone looked at Changmin with wide eyes. "Really? She always seemed so angelic to me." "Even angels can't resist the sweet taste of sin." Everyone except Younghoon looked at Changmin with surprise, whereas he looked at him in complete understanding.

Younghoon tried to focus in class, but that line Changmin had said during lunch filled his mind.  _"Even angels can't resist the sweet taste of sin...Is there some meaning behind it? Is he secretly trying to tell me something?"_  he thought as he looked to the teal string for answers. It simply waved just like all the others. He felt a tap on his shoulder then turned to see who it was. "It's your turn." Younghoon nodded as he started reciting the question.

Classes had soon passed and everyone was buzzing about the school, getting their things to take home. Younghoon watched all of it from the open door of the classroom before moving farther back from view. "Younghoon." "Oh, Changmin. How did you find me?" Younghoon quietly eyed Changmin as he took his time with replying. "I just looked around. Then I asked someone and they said they saw you in here. I mostly just wandered and hoped for the best." "Interesting..." Changmin shrugged then looked around the empty classroom. "Why are you here alone?"

"Because we just arrived." Juyeon walked over to them as Jaehyun held onto his shoulders. "Question is, why are  _you_  here?" Jaehyun looked at Changmin, waiting for an answer. "To talk to my friend Younghoon? Am I not allowed to be here?" Juyeon placed a hand on Changmin's shoulder and sighed. "Nope. Now shoo." Juyeon pushed Changmin out the door then locked it. "Well that was rude." "So you'd rather him hear all our shit talking?" "I meant the way you made him leave." Jaehyun sighed and sat down, waiting for Juyeon to come over. "Anyway, I heard something about your new friend here. Heard that he's been seen being all touchy with Chanhee. Isn't Chanhee your true love?" Younghoon bit his bottom lip as he thought of a way to tell the truth without saying all of it.

"He is. But he isn't at the same time..." Younghoon looked at Juyeon who had a puzzled look. It was then he decided to just tell them everything. "Our string is a mixture of red and peach. Let me explain before you freak out. It is possible for strings to become another color. Like when your red string was turning indigo. But, for the red string to become peach, both would have to honestly and truly want it." He noticed Juyeon was writing things down again in his little notebook. "So since it's not completely peach, it means you may still have feelings for Chanhee, right?" Younghoon gave a small nod then looked at the string again. It hadn't changed since the day Chanhee had confessed.

"Well, Changmin and Chanhee look close like how you two used to be." "Well, he is Chanhee's other true love." The couple looked at him with wide eyes. "My mom said it's unusual, but nothing bad. Calm down." "These strings are complex as hell." Younghoon nodded in agreement then felt tightness around his wrist. "Something wrong?" "Not sure, but there's something going on with Changmin." "And how do you know that?" Younghoon was already out of his seat and heading to wherever Changmin was.

___________

"You think you're so tough, huh? Thought you'd get away with trying to steal my girl, eh?" Changmin sighed as he dodged yet another punch from some dude. "I keep telling you, she came to me. I don't even know her name." Younghoon looked around then spotted the scene below. He started walking towards them then stopped as he saw that Changmin was managing well enough on his own.  _"Something feels off. It wouldn't tighten without reason."_  he thought as he observed the now regular waving teal string.

He looked up and saw someone coming up behind Changmin. He wasted no time in subduing the person behind Changmin. Changmin briefly looked back then side stepped and tripped the guy. "Thought you said this was one on one." Changmin tsked at both guys before giving each a swift kick to their sides. "Thanks, Younghoon. You seem to arrive when I need you most." "Well, I wouldn't have to if you'd keep yourself out of trouble." They both chuckled then walked away from the fallen duo.

"You know, I should repay you for your help today. How does dinner sound?" "You know, it kind of sounds like you're asking me out on a date." Changmin snickered then playfully shoved Younghoon. "We both know that's not what it is. So, are you in or not?" "I'm in. Just let me tell my mom." Younghoon sent his mother a quick text then followed behind Changmin.

** a/n: ** **don't forget to vote, share and comment! changmin is such a troublesome person.**


	10. Chapter 8

They sat down at a table in a fast food place as they waited for their order number to be called. "I honestly though it was going to be something fancy." Changmin had chuckled at his statement and he couldn't help but smile in return. "Just because I have a job doesn't mean I make big bucks. Just be glad I'm buying food at all." "Don't worry, I am." Younghoon heard their number being called, so he got up and went to get it. He came back to their table and set the food down. "Well, bone apple teeth." "Don't ever say that again." They both laughed before they started eating their food.

"And she wouldn't let go of my arm! Like, I don't know what her deal was." "So you snapped at her and she walked away with tears in her eyes?" "Yep. Didn't think she had a man, so I was surprised when he approached me." Younghoon took a sip of his drink as he observed Changmin. He noticed that his face looked like that of a rodent with pouches in its cheeks.  _"That's cute..."_  he thought. "Me almost getting beaten is cute to you?" Younghoon gave him a confused look before realizing he vocalized his thoughts. "N-No. I meant that uh, your watch was cute." He felt Changmin's piercing gaze as he looked him over. "I don't know how to respond to that." Younghoon let out an awkward laugh as he tried to make himself seem invisible. "Anyway, I've been meaning to tell you this. I really like your fashion style. It really suits you." "Oh, thank you." Changmin winked at him and he sudden felt something strange.

"So, now that our bellies are full, is there anything you want to do or do you just wanna go home?" Younghoon looked at the darkening sky and figured his parents wouldn't mind him being out late. "I know a great spot on campus for stargazing. You up for that?" "Why not? I need something low thrill." They walked back to campus with Younghoon leading the way.

"If you don't want to lay your head on the grass, you're free to use my chest." "Wonderful offer, but I'll pass. I like the feeling of grass." Younghoon looked up at the now dark and star spotted sky. "This sight could calm any ferocious beast." "You really think so?" "Yeah." They remained silent until Younghoon started hearing faint snoring. "Changmin?" No response. "Changmin?" "Huh? Yeah?" Younghoon smiled softly then sat up. "You fell asleep on me. Did you have a tiring day?" "I guess you could say that." "Now that I think about it, I never asked what your major was." "Dance. I'm minoring in voice as well." Younghoon nodded and finally made the connections. "That's why we have some classes together. I'm majoring in voice but minoring in dance. Juyeon, Jaehyun and Chanhee are the same as me."

"It's a small world isn't it." "I heard you're pretty close with Chanhee now." This caused Changmin to sit up and look at Younghoon. "Chanhee is seriously funny as hell. And he's smart. I like smart people. Don't even get me started on his sarcasm. This one girl pulled up to him and tried starting a problem because he always passes test without writing anything down. He shut her down so fast and hard I doubled over." Younghoon felt a small twinge of sadness, but felt happy for Changmin overall. "It's great that you're both getting along well." "You were right. He is a great guy."

Younghoon looked at the time on his phone as Changmin continued to talk about his other classes.  _"It's a little past 10..."_  "Something wrong?" "Just looking at the time." "Do you have to be home soon?" "Nah. Since we're here, why don't we go see Juyeon? I bet you ₩5,630 that Jaehyun is there." "I'll take you up on that." They shook hands then headed to Juyeon's dorm room.

"And it looks like you owe me ₩5,630, Changmin." "You're so troublesome." "Well look at you two being all cute." Changmin laughed then sat next to Jaehyun who was playing a game on the Playstation 4. Juyeon pulled Younghoon to side while taking glances back at the two on the floor. "One, what's going on here? Two, you're out so late and that's unusual" Younghoon shrugged as he didn't really know himself. "He repaid me with food for helping him and we didn't want to go home so I brought him to the star gazing spot." Juyeon nodded as Changmin was now playing instead of Jaehyun.

** a/n: ** **don't forget to vote, share and comment! ah, star gazing. i want to go star gazing...**


	11. Chapter 9

******~Time skip: 3 months~**

Younghoon didn't have any classes to attend that day, so he hung around at home since the others had clubs to attend in the afternoon after their morning class. He flipped to the next page in a book he was reading and was startled by the sound of his door opening. "Hoon dear, you're not going to stay home all day, right?" "I was. I disturbed Juyeon enough last night." His mother sighed then closed the door behind her. His phone started vibrating, so he picked it up to see who was calling. "Who's number is this..." He declined the call and went back to reading. His phone began vibrating again and it was the same number. Once again, he declined the call.

Just as he was reading a scary part in the book, his phone started vibrating, thus startling him. "God, I can't get any peace..." He noticed Juyeon was calling which he wasn't expecting. "Hey, are you busy?" "My busy and your busy are two different things." "So, I'm guessing you are. I told you that's why he wasn't answering." Younghoon was curious as to who Juyeon was talking to. "Who are you talking to?" "Changmin. We bumped into each other on campus and he wanted to see if you wanted to hang out today." Younghoon bookmarked the page and set the book aside. "I guess we could. What did he have in mind?" He noticed it was quiet on the other side. "The dance studio at school." Juyeon hung up after his confirmation and Younghoon got himself ready to head to the school.

___________

Younghoon walked over to the dance studio then stood outside of it for a bit to collect himself. He opened the door and was surprised at the sight of Changmin dancing to a classic song. He secretly started recording and planned to use it against him in the future.  _"Didn't think he was into girl group songs. That's cute."_  he thought as he ended his recording. "Changmin?" Younghoon watched amusedly as he scrambled to turn the music off. "Oh, you're here." He could see the faint blush on Changmin's cheeks. "Your dancing was top notch. 10/10." Changmin laughed nervously, so Younghoon gave him a pat on the back. "Don't feel embarrassed. It was an enjoyable experience." "Well, that wasn't why I wanted you to come. I wanted a second opinion on my dance routine. I'm worried that it's not good enough." "I could try to help."

Younghoon sat down on the floor and waited for Changmin to start. The song started and Younghoon was surprised by how Changmin's soft face had instantly changed. He watched every move as he felt he was under a spell. The routine was powerful, Changmin was powerful. Younghoon felt something bubbling up inside him as  he continued to watch Changmin. Both the song and Changmin finished and the only sound heard was Changmin's haggard breathing.

"Well?" "It looked great to me. Though, you were slower towards the end. Build up your stamina." He watched as Changmin collapsed onto the floor and started laughing lightly. "Do you mind locating my water?" Younghoon looked around and spotted a bag not too far from the speaker. He looked in the bag that he assumed was Changmin's and found a water bottle. "Your such a kind soul." "Who said I was giving it to you?" He noticed Changmin started to get up but immediately gave up. Younghoon slid the bottle to Changmin who quickly downed its contents.

"Changmin." "Yeah?" Younghoon sighed then changed his position on the floor. "Chanhee..." "Are you asking if we're a thing? Is that it?" "No...I was asking if Chanhee mentioned anything to you." Changmin let out a sigh of relief then looked at him. "Be specific." "Like, anything about me?" "Did you do something you weren't supposed to? Or, do you have a crush and want to know if he likes you back?" Younghoon quickly shook his head which caused Changmin to laugh.

"To answer your question, he hasn't. He seems more interested in me nowadays. Why do you ask?" "Oh, he...he hasn't talked to me in a while and I haven't seen him around despite having almost the same schedule." Younghoon felt Changmin pat his back. "Don't worry, I'm sure he's just busy." Younghoon looked at their red-peach string that had become lighter.

They heard the door open and saw Chanhee standing in the doorway. "So you found help. I wasted my time coming over here then. Why didn't you tell me?" "Didn't cross my mind. My sincerest apologies." Chanhee sighed then looked at Younghoon. "Hey, Younghoon. How have you been?" "Decent. You?" "Could be better." Younghoon gestured for Chanhee to join them but something told Chanhee it was best if he didn't. "I have things to do. We can catch up in class tomorrow. Later."

** a/n: ** **don't forget to vote, share and comment! so that just happened...i'm writing trash...**


	12. Chapter 10

They slowly walked around as they waited for the couple to finish up their club activities. "I never danced so hard before. I noticed the change halfway through." Younghoon gave him a questioning look as they continued to walk. "That was hard? I'm afraid to see you at full form." They both laughed then quieted down. "Younghoon, do you have free time 2 weeks and a day from now?"

"Well, I do have classes then, but what for?" "Well, we'll be performing our dance routines for our test and it's a good chunk of our grade. I think I'd be more comfortable with you there." Younghoon thought about then remembered something. "What time is it at?" "4pm." "Oh, then I can be there." Changmin did a little cheer then gave Younghoon a brief hug. He noticed a red shimmer was sparkling around their teal string before going back to normal.

___________

"What took you so long? Isn't it until 4?" Younghoon held Changmin back from approaching Juyeon. "They love to talk. I can't leave until the prez says 'you may go'. It's annoying as hell." Younghoon noticed Jaehyun had snuck up behind Juyeon and wrapped his arms around him. He and Changmin both gasped as Juyeon had elbowed Jaehyun in the face. "Shit son." Juyeon looked back and Younghoon could clearly see the remorse and guilt in his face. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know who it was and reflexes..." He helped Jaehyun up then looked at his face. "I'm fine, Ju. I won't do that anymore then." Younghoon sighed then noticed that his wrist was being tugged.  _"Chanhee's string..."_  He quickly took off, leaving the others in bewilderment.

Younghoon rounded a corner and saw Chanhee down at the end of a dead end hall. He quietly approached then softly called out his name. "Younghoon...?" "That's me. What are you doing there?" He kneeled down then took Chanhee's hands in his. "I'm...I don't know. I've gotten to know him better and I thought I could move on from you. But, I still want you..." Younghoon wasn't sure of what to say, especially after turning Chanhee down back then. He sighed then thought if changing his fate was the right move. "I just made things worse...I'm sorry." He was aware of the tears Chanhee spilled and found himself wiping them away. "Chanhee...I guess...I can give you a chance?" It wasn't that he was doing it out of pity, there was a part of him that did mirror Chanhee's feelings.

Younghoon held Chanhee's hand as he guided him back to his dorm room to get some rest. "You don't have to hold my hand, I can keep up." "It's fine. I don't mind." They waited for the elevator and took up to Chanhee's floor. They entered his room and Younghoon opted to staying by the door. "Younghoon, did you really mean what you said...?" "About giving you a chance?" Chanhee nodded then took his sweater off. "Yes." Chanhee had frozen as he searched his face for a sign of lying, forgetting that Younghoon wasn't one to lie.

Younghoon watched as Chanhee walked over to him and surprised him with a kiss. It slowly became more passionate as Younghoon pulled Chanhee closer. They broke apart as they needed to breathe. "Are you completely sure, Younghoon? It's really not out of pity?" Younghoon looked at his strings then noticed the teal string had started to become a lightly distorted sight while the peach was disappearing from Chanhee's string. "It's not out of pity." He couldn't help but worry about the teal string which now started feeling tighter than ever.

"Younghoon, are you okay?" "I'm fine. Honest." Chanhee rubbed his back as Younghoon had sank to the floor on one knee. Younghoon wished it would stop, believing that his circulation could cut off from this. "I have to go. It's really important..." Chanhee nodded as Younghoon quickly got up and went to find Changmin.

___________

He continued to look around in pain as the string wouldn't let up.  _"What the hell is he doing that it's like this?!"_  he thought as he stopped and saw the scene. He spotted the couple and Changmin up on the only high cliff near their school. No one really knows how it got there or why. Younghoon dashed over to them as he noticed Changmin had neared the edge. "Changmin! Don't move!" They all looked at him as he slowed to a stop in front of Changmin then dragged him away from the edge.

** a/n: ** **don't forget to vote, share and comment! these three can't be left alone without supervision...**


	13. Chapter 11

"What the hell are you three doing up here?!" They could only blink at Younghoon who hadn't let go of Changmin's hand. Jaehyun had spoke up and explained what was going on. "And none of you thought that maybe something could go wrong? I was losing circulation because of you two bumbling idiots." he said as he looked at Juyeon and Jaehyun.

"Hey, it was all Jaehyun's idea." "But you didn't stop them. So you're just as guilty." Younghoon looked at Changmin who looked slightly scared. "You. What in the world convinced you to do this? What if you fell, huh? How would they explain to your parents? Many people would miss you..." He noticed Changmin's face had hardened. Changmin shook off his hand and glared at him. "You don't know my life, Younghoon. What if I did want to fall? Don't butt into things you know nothing about." Younghoon watched Changmin push past him then went after him.

"I don't know about your life because you won't tell me." Changmin walked faster and so did Younghoon. Younghoon grabbed his arm to keep him from moving. "Did you really want to fall...?" The silence felt suffocating to Younghoon. "No." "Don't do something that dangerous again, please." "Okay." He was surprised how agreeable Changmin was being. "Can you tell me what's going on with your life?" More silence ensued as Younghoon waited for an answer. "Let go of me." Younghoon did as he was told and expected Changmin to run, but he didn't. "I only have one parent. My dad. I got a job to help him with money." "Oh." He wasn't sure if he should ask about his mother and siblings, so he opted for a hug. "Thanks." "It's what friends do."

Younghoon found himself sitting underneath a tree and gently stroking Changmin's hair. He couldn't move as Changmin had fallen asleep on his lap.  _"He's such a handful...but he keeps things interesting. He's cute on top of that."_  he thought then shook his head.  _"I've been calling him cute lately...He has started looking more attractive lately though."_  he thought as he looked down at Changmin's face. He noticed someone was approaching them from afar. Younghoon felt Changmin roll over and make himself comfortable again. "Younghoon." He looked up and saw Juyeon nearing them.

"You two look cute." "We're not." Juyeon rolled his eyes then sat down on Younghoon's other side. "How did it get like this?" "Well, we sat down here and talked. Then he knocked out and his head was bobbing, so I just did this." Juyeon nodded then looked ahead. "I'm sorry for not doing anything. Guess I was swept up in the moment. Still, it's no excuse for what could've happened. What did you mean by losing circulation?" "Our string was that tight." "Oh." Younghoon brushed a few strands from Changmin's face then looked at Juyeon. "I think I might date Chanhee." "What's with the sudden change?"

Younghoon shrugged as he carefully changed his sitting position. "But dating Chanhee would be giving into fate." "Maybe you can't escape fate. Maybe altering fate is still part of fate." "I was really rooting for you two here." Younghoon quietly laughed so he wouldn't wake Changmin. "Did you forget? He doesn't believe in love. It'll take a miracle or some person who has a strong effect on him. And both are impossible."

Juyeon looked lost in thought then let a smirk form on his face. "What if it's you?" "I-Impossible." He realized he had shouted then started panicking as Changmin started to stir. Thankfully, he hadn't awakened and Younghoon hit Juyeon's arm. "If you think about it, Chanhee is his true lover and vice versa, but usually you'd start feeling something for them after a while. And it has been a while but Changmin isn't phased." Younghoon rolled his eyes as he continued to stroke Changmin's hair.

"It would also explain your teal string. You can't tell me this isn't making sense." As much as Younghoon wanted to deny it, he was an honest man. "Exactly. So I think if you get with Chanhee, something may happen to that teal string." "Well, something did earlier...I was talking to Chanhee about possibly dating him and the teal string looked so distorted that it was hard to look at..." Juyeon lightly clapped then pointed at him. "What did I tell you? Younghoon, don't date Chanhee." Younghoon scoffed then carefully moved Changmin's head off his lap. "You can't tell me what I should and shouldn't do." "Where are you going? You're just going to leave him here?" Younghoon continued to walk away in a huff and back to Chanhee's room.

** a/n: ** **don't forget to vote, share and comment! anyone have any idea what the teal string means?**


	14. Chapter 12

Younghoon knocked on Chanhee's door and waited for him to open up. "Did you finish with the important thing?" "Yeah. May I come in?" Chanhee stepped aside to let him in. "What's wrong?" Younghoon sat on the edge of bed then looked out the window. "Chanhee, go out with me." He looked down at his wrist and sure enough, the teal string looked distorted. "This is sudden, but okay?" He felt Chanhee wrap his arms around his neck then place his chin on top of his head.  _"I'm supposed to feel happy, but I don't. I'm just stressed...that's gotta be it."_  he thought as he gently caressed Chabhee's hand.

___________

**~Time skip: 2 weeks~**

Younghoon stretched out as he had finally awakened from his slumber. He looked around him then remembered where he was. "Oh, you're awake. Hurry up and get ready. I have we have classes to get to." "Don't rush me, Chan..." Chanhee threw a towel at him and nagged him until he got up to go take a shower.

They walked out of the dorm hand in hand as Chanhee rambled on about his classmates. "I honestly believe they're jealous of my intelligence. Maybe if they actually studied when they were younger..." Younghoon chuckled as Chanhee continued to rant. They stopped outside Chanhee's building and Younghoon gave his forehead a kiss. "Don't torture them this time." "No promises." Younghoon watched him walk inside then made his way to his class.

He entered the classroom and took his seat. Juyeon came in not too long after and took his seat behind Younghoon. No words were exchanged between the two the entire time. Class had ended and Juyeon was quick to get up and leave.  _"Why is he acting like this?"_  Younghoon thought as he looked at their now light peach string. He couldn't help but notice that the teal string looked sickly.  _"Why does it continue to look like this? It's not like anything has changed between us."_  He felt like pulling his hair out in frustration. Everything was supposed to be better but took a turn in the opposite direction.

Younghoon waited a bit before leaving and heading to his next class. "How was class?" He turned towards Chanhee who was walking towards him. "I thought your class was at least a half hour longer." "She let us go early. So, how was class?" "He's still not talking to me. Neither is Jaehyun." Chanhee furrowed his brows as he looked deep in thought. "You could always deepen friendships with others. It doesn't just have to be them." Younghoon hummed in response as he thought about why he should and shouldn't replace Juyeon.

___________

Younghoon noticed Jacob was jogging towards him after class had ended. Jacob was a mutual friend of Changmin and himself. "Younghoon." "Yeah?" "Changmin's in trouble. I don't know what or why, but I just got this text." Younghoon found it strange since he usually was told by their string. He briefly looked down at the still distorted and light looking string. "Do you know where he is?" "No, I've been asking him but he isn't responding. I've called a few times too." Younghoon looked at the text to see if there was any hint of where Changmin was. "Why is he always getting into trouble?" "Maybe trouble likes him?" Younghoon face palmed himself as he followed Jacob out of the hallway.

 _"I really wish the string would help out..."_  he thought as he lifted up the limp string. "Maybe he's not a campus." "Don't you have a class in an hour, Jacob?" "Yeah, but my best friend is in trouble. He's more important." Younghoon admired how Jacob was willing to put his grades on the line just for his best friend. "Oh! Another text. I don't understand this." Younghoon took a look and somehow knew what Changmin was trying to say. "I know. Let's go." Jacob gave him a puzzled look but followed anyway.

They looked around the area then Younghoon noticed a scene going on by the river. Younghoon went on ahead by himself and saw Changmin on all fours surrounded by some guys. He moved closer but remained out of sight so he could assess the situation. "Your pops still hasn't paid us back. How much longer do we have to wait?" He watched as Changmin received a swift kick to the stomach. "Answer when I ask a question." The guy kicked Changmin in the same spot then spit on him. "Let's go. We'll give you another month. If neither of you have it, I can't promise that you both will see the light of day."

Younghoon rushed over to Changmin who had fallen onto his side. "Changmin!" He gently shook him as he waited for an answer. "Younghoon? How did you-" Changmin clutched his stomach as the pain started spreading. "Don't talk. It isn't serious right..." He looked over Changmin who had a few open wounds on his arms and legs. "Can you get on my back?" Somehow Changmin had gotten onto his back and Younghoon hoped Changmin would be alright.

** a/n: ** **don't forget to vote, share and comment! so, seems like they're involved with bad people**


	15. Chapter 13

"This should do it. I suggest we get him to the hospital to see if anything inside was damaged." Younghoon looked at his mother then back at the half conscious Changmin. "Come on, get him in the car." Younghoon squatted so Changmin could get on his back. "I can walk. Thank you though." Younghoon walked close by him to make sure he didn't fall on his way to the car.

Younghoon and his mom waited in the lobby for the doctor to come back with the results. "Mom..." "Yes, sweetie?" He showed her the teal string that he's been hiding from her the entire time. "Oh my...?" "I don't know. It wasn't like this until I started dating Chanhee." "Then maybe you've made the wrong move. If this keeps up, it'll break and the string will disappear. It's happened to an ancestor of ours. This means you have to figure what happened between the day before and the day you two started dating." Younghoon looked away from her then quietly sighed. He didn't want to break up with Chanhee, but he also had reasons to help him do so. Something was telling him that he shouldn't let their string just break.

___________

"Nothing is broken and no internal bleeding, thankfully. But, he will have bruises. We'll keep him here overnight to make sure nothing goes wrong." They nodded then bowed to the doctor. "Are his parents coming to get him?" The doctor shook his head then looked over his papers. "We tried contacting his father, but he wouldn't pick up. If either of you are free, you can come get him in his place." They nodded then watched the doctor walk away. "I'll come get him, Mom." "He's lucky to have a friend like you."

___________

Younghoon walked into the hospital the next day and saw Changmin waiting in the lobby. "You came." "Yeah. I couldn't just leave you here with no one to come get you." Changmin briefly frowned before smiling. "Thanks. Let's get out of here." They walked out and Younghoon stopped walking. "Why'd you stop?" "What happened yesterday? Who were those guys? What's really going on?" "You're suddenly nosy again." Younghoon walked closer to Changmin then flicked his forehead. "I want the truth, Changmin. I'm worried about you." He heard Changmin mumble something but he couldn't quite hear what he had said. "My Dad is in debt. It's not a large amount. With the money I get from my jobs, he's able to pay off more than he used to. We only need a month to pay off the rest." "How did he get into debt?" "That's a different story for another day." Changmin turned around and walked on ahead of Younghoon.

"How are you feeling?" "Like crap." "Would ice cream make you feel better?" "I would take you up on that offer, but I have to get to the school. My test is in 2 hours." Younghoon realized he had completely forgotten about that. "Judging from your face, you forgot. That's fine. Don't show up." "Changmin..." "Don't 'Changmin...' me. Go busy yourself with your boyfriend. I'm sure if nothing happened to me, you wouldn't even have thought about me." "Why are you acting like this?" Changmin kept walking but faster than before. "Changmin!" He sighed as Changmin didn't stop. He looked at their string and noticed a few frays in it. He chased after Changmin then hugged him from behind to keep him from moving. "I swear, if you don't let go of me, you're going to be in more pain than I am." "Do your worst." He waited for whatever Changmin planned to do, but nothing came.

"Changmin. I'm not dating him anymore." "What?" "I can't date him. I didn't have that spark with him anymore. And I didn't want to lose someone dear to me." They remained silent until Changmin finally spoke. "I need to get going, Younghoon. Please, let go." Younghoon did as he was told then received a brief hug from Changmin. "Thank you. For finding me yesterday. I'm glad it was you." Changmin walked away and Younghoon followed, intent on keeping to his word. "So you are coming." "Of course I am. I'm going to help you pass that test." Younghoon couldn't see from behind, but Changmin was grinning like a fool.

** a/n: ** **don't forget to vote, share and comment! this was trash...**


	16. Chapter 14

Younghoon sat down on the other side along with the other spectators. He watched as other students performed their routines then looked at the teachers who were judging. He noticed they did a lot of writing and x's on their papers, so he feared Changmin might get a harsh grade. Changmin's turn had come up and Younghoon made a heart with his hands for Changmin to see while mouthing good luck.

Changmin had finished his routine then bowed to his teachers and the audience before walking off to the side with his other classmates. Younghoon thought that Changmin's performance was better than the first time. Everyone else had gone and the audience was told to leave. Younghoon took one last glance at Changmin before leaving.

___________

Younghoon heard the door open and was disappointed to see that it wasn't Changmin. He sighed then sat down on the floor and brought his knees to his chest. "Hey, don't fall asleep out here." Younghoon looked up and saw Changmin holding his hand out to him. He took it then waited for Changmin to speak. "I did better than I thought I would. There's always room for improvement and I aim to improve my bad areas." He looked at the paper he was holding up then high fived him. "That's a pretty good score. Why don't we have an ice cream celebration?" "Sounds good to me." Younghoon chuckled as he and Changmin walked out of the building.

Younghoon couldn't help but watch as Changmin devoured his ice cream and ended up getting some on his nose. "Here, you got some on your nose." Changmin took the napkin then wiped his nose. "You know, you're pretty cute when you want to be." Changmin chuckled then took another spoonful of ice cream. "Are you flirting with me? Don't even bother. I am, and will remain, unphased." Younghoon took this as a challenge and decided to try his hand at it.

Younghoon seductively lick his spoon while facing Changmin. He heard Changmin's breath hitch then clear his throat. "What was that I heard?" "I don't know what you're talking about." Younghoon stood up then started poking Changmin's sides. "Did you actually like that Changmin? Come on, tell me." He drew his hand back as Changmin had viciously slapped it. He went back to his seat and ate his ice cream quietly.

"Fine. I did like it. Don't look so hurt...it makes me feel bad." Younghoon raised an eyebrow at Changmin's confession.  _"He looks cute like this. Wonder if he'll let me take a picture."_  he thought as he took out his phone. He took a photo then noticed Changmin was glaring at him. "Delete it." "No." "Yes." "But you look so cute." Younghoon looked away in embarrassment as Changmin stared at him wide eyes and a blush on his face. Silence fell over them as they finished off their ice cream in silence. They left in silence as they were still embarrassed.

"Changmin, I didn't mean to say that." "You didn't?" "N-No...I hope I didn't make things awkward." Changmin shook his head then let a smirk form on his face. "It was quite flattering, but embarrassing." Younghoon sighed as he felt like disappearing. He didn't know why he felt so anxious before when Changmin fell silent. Or why he felt nervous now.  _"It couldn't be."_  he thought as he almost walked into a pole. "Younghoon? What are you thinking about?" "My brother." He was surprised that he had just lied. "Oh. Well, okay then." "Are you going home?" "Yeah." "I'm tagging along." He noticed Changmin had become serious. "No." "Why not?" "Because I said so. There's nothing there." "Won't know until I look, now will I?" Changmin sighed in defeat then led the way to his home.

___________

Younghoon stepped through the front door and was greeted with darkness until Changmin turned on a light. "No one's home?" "He works late." Younghoon nodded then followed behind Changmin. The place looked as if no one actually lived in it. "You two are pretty tidy. That's good." "We're both hardly home, so only the things we need are used."

Younghoon followed him to the living room then sat down on the couch. "Do you want water?" "I'm fine. Thank you though." They sat in silence as Changmin used his phone. Younghoon finally decided to ask the question that's been on his mind forever. "Where is your mom and siblings?" He noticed Changmin had froze then glared at him. "Get out."

** a/n: ** **don't forget to vote, share and comment! things were going so well...**


	17. Chapter 15

Younghoon found himself being pushed out the front door by Changmin. He turned around but had the door slammed in his face.  _"Something's wrong...Why won't he tell me?"_  Younghoon decided to wait outside until Changmin came back out. He knew it was a stupid idea, but felt he'd be missing out on something important because the teal string kept tugging.

___________

Younghoon opened his eyes and looked around him. He didn't know where he was until it clicked. He was inside Changmin's house. He sat up and looked around for Changmin. Younghoon checked the time on his phone.  _"2:03am...How long was I out there..."_  He wasn't sure if he should move around, so he stayed put and observed his surroundings more. He couldn't see anything from his spot on the couch, so he got up and moved towards the shelves. He saw plenty of pictures of Changmin and who he guessed was his father. He picked up one then saw that there was another picture behind it.  _"Is this his mom and siblings? They all look so happy here. What happened that he doesn't even want to talk about her..."_  Younghoon put the photos back to their original positions then looked around more while keeping his footsteps quiet.

___________

Younghoon woke up hours later and was greeted by a sweet smell. He saw Changmin walk in wearing a gray t-shirt, sweats and slippers while carrying a plate of food. Younghoon sheepishly looked away as he felt he was staring too long. "I can't believe you seriously waited outside like that. And on top of that, you even fell asleep. You're crazy." "Crazy for you." Younghoon erupted into laughter as Changmin was clearly blushing from his declaration. "I'm joking." Changmin slid the plate over to Younghoon then went back into the kitchen. Younghoon quietly chuckled then took a bite out of the pancakes Changmin had made.

As Younghoon finished, he suddenly remembered that his mother didn't know his whereabouts. "If you're worried about your mom, I called her last night and told her you were with me. She's okay with it." "How did you know..." Changmin sat on the other end of the couch then took out his phone. "Dunno. I just did." "And you call me crazy." Changmin stuck his tongue out at him which he returned with a mush to his forehead. "Keep it in your mouth." "Or yours." Younghoon dropped the fork in his hand as he felt heat rushing to his face. "Ha! Got you back." Younghoon couldn't help but think of how that would actually be like. "Younghoon? You okay? Did I go too far?" "I'm fine. Just shocked." Younghoon looked at Changmin who seemed more attractive when smiling.

"I have to get to my shift, so I'll just input how to get to the school from here." Changmin typed in the name of the college then gave his back a pat. "See you." "Wait." "What?" Younghoon bit his bottom lip then moved in front of Changmin. "I waited outside because I felt like I couldn't leave without knowing what happened with your family." "You're still on that?" "Yes and I will be until you tell me or I take my last breath." Changmin smirked then crossed his arms. "I'm sure I can make the second one happen." "Would you really?" He noticed Changmin had looked away from him. "I'll tell you later. I really have to get going." "Promise me." "I promise that I'll tell you later." Younghoon grinned as he patted his jacket pocket. "Great."

___________

Younghoon looked at the time on his phone then groaned. He didn't think he could take another half hour of his teacher's boring lecture. "You seemed stressed." Younghoon looked at Juyeon who was taking notes. "I am." "About?" "I want to know what happened to Changmin's family." "Oh. Maybe you'll find out about the flower bracelets and the indigo one." Younghoon shook his head then started doodling in Juyeon's notebook. "I don't think they're connected." "Younghoon, I wasn't wrong about the dying string. Are you doubting me now?" "Yes." Juyeon put a hand to his heart. "I'm hurt." The bell had finally rung and Younghoon couldn't have felt happier. "Can I come with you?" "No." Juyeon crossed his arms and pouted. "Then give me a summary later." "No." Younghoon hurried out of the classroom and made his way to the dance studio.

He opened the door and saw Changmin talking to a classmate. He approached them and greeted the both of them. "Text me later, Haknyeon. I have something important to talk about with this gentleman here." The guy named Haknyeon nodded then walked away. "Do you want to go somewhere private?" "Of course." Younghoon led the way to the area they deemed their talking area.

"So, now that you're comfortable, will you tell me?" Changmin sighed then closed his eyes. "My sisters died. Because of my mom." "What..." "I know. Sounds crazy doesn't it?" Younghoon noticed Changmin's frown and started rethinking of asking. "My parents had a good relationship. We don't know what happened, but she changed. She had become a monster. My oldest sister received the worst treatment out of all of us. While we were on vacation, our mom had lost something and told my sisters to go find it with her. The three of them went out to go look. After a while, I got worried and went out after them. I saw them by the water and my mom was watching from afar. My oldest sister had slipped and fell over but my other sister caught her tried pulling her back up. Just as she had almost pulled her back up, my mother pushed them over. I was too scared to do anything and I still feel guilty. I ran back and showed my father the recording I had took of them. I did it because I wanted to show my father that my mom still had a good heart and was going to help my sisters. We turned it into the police and she was jailed."

Younghoon wiped the tears from Changmin's face as they streamed down his cheeks. "I was a coward...I could've helped them..." "You could've, but what if she pushed you over with them?" He noticed Changmin had opened his eyes and looked directly into his. "Are you saying it's better that I didn't?" "No, but I am saying the world could've lost another precious human being. Now, stop crying. You're making me cry." Changmin chuckled then wiped his eyes. "Sorry. It's hard telling this to people. Especially when you don't know how they'll react." Younghoon nodded then noticed their string had started shimmering in red and periwinkle. "What are you looking at?" "My wrist. Is it wrong to look at it?" "No, but you were staring so seriously."

Younghoon found himself stroking Changmin's hair and felt relaxed while doing so. "Thank you, Younghoon. For listening and not pitting me." "Anytime." He noticed Changmin had sat up and was looking into his eyes.  _"My heart is pounding...Stop making me feel like this you love hater!"_  he thought as he looked everywhere but at Changmin. "Did I ever tell you that you have pretty eyes? Because you do and now I feel envious." Younghoon laughed awkwardly then looked away from Changmin.  _"Why was I hoping for something more._ _Don't_ _fall for him."_  Despite telling himself that, he knew that he already started developing feelings for Changmin.

** a/n: ** **don't forget to vote, share and comment! this was pretty long. prolly because of the back story.**


	18. Chapter 16

**~Time skip: 3 weeks~**

Younghoon was walking to the dance studio when Chanhee suddenly bumped his side. "Oh, hey." "You don't seem happy to see me." "It's not that. Just wasn't expecting it." Chanhee walked along side him unaware of where they were going. "You've been looking happier lately. Who's the girl? Or guy." Younghoon remained silent as Chanhee continued to ask. "Fine. Don't tell me." "Who said it was because of a person?" "True. If it isn't a person, then why can't you tell me?" Younghoon groaned as he opened the door of the building. "Okay, okay. I'll stop asking." Younghoon opened the door to the dance studio then smiled when Changmin turned to face him. Chanhee quietly chuckled as he figured out what it was.

"You brought company? Even better." Younghoon was confused until he remembered Chanhee had tagged along. "So, are you going to help evaluate him?" "Might as well. I don't feel like attending the club meeting." They both sat down and waited for Changmin. "So, it's Changmin." Chanhee knew he hit the nail on the head when he heard Younghoon's breath hitch. "Changmin is pretty damn attractive. It's a shame he doesn't have any interest in love." "Don't remind me." "You two ready?" The duo had ceased their whispering and gave Changmin a nod.

Younghoon felt embarrassed as Chanhee continued to clap loudly after Changmin had finished. "Chanhee, that's enough." Changmin chuckled then sat down in front of the duo. "Thanks for coming to evaluate me, Younghoon. I think today's the last day I'll ask." "Oh, okay." Younghoon felt disappointed but he knew he couldn't do anything about it. "You're still welcome to come. Just send me a text beforehand so you don't end up walking in on someone else." "Got it." "Is anyone else hungry? Just me? Guess I'll go get something from the vending machine." "Oh, could you get me something too?" Chanhee nodded then happily made his way out of the studio.

"How were your classes?" "Torture. He kept picking on me saying 'you're going too low' or 'you're too high'." "Bummer." Changmin tapped his chin then snapped. "Sing something for me." "Anything?" Changmin nodded then took out his phone. "Do you mind if I record?" "Nah. What's your favorite song?" After a bit of discussion, Younghoon began singing. Changmin had stopped recording as Younghoon had finished. "That was beautiful, Younghoon. It was like angels came down and personally sang me a song." Younghoon covered his face to hide the blush that colored his cheeks. "You're really talented." "Stop it. I feel embarrassed enough..." "Just stating facts. Are you okay, though?" He watched as Changmin reached over and put his hand on his forehead.

"This won't work. I hope you don't mind..." Younghoon started panicking on the inside as Changmin put his forehead against his. "You're burning up. You sure you're okay?" "Yeah..." "I'll take your word for it. Where's Chanhee, I'm starving." As if on cue, Chanhee entered and tossed Changmin his snack. "Perfect timing." Chanhee gave him a wink then sat down. "So, what did I miss?" "Younghoon's angelic voice." "Ahh...It always won over girls and a few guys back in the day." Younghoon hit Chanhee's arm then huffed. "You make it seem like we're dinosaurs." Changmin laughed then rested his hand on Younghoon's thigh. "That's a cute way of saying old." Chanhee started laughing as well while Younghoon stood up and walked away from them.

___________

Younghoon sighed as Juyeon sipped on his tea. "You poor soul." "Don't remind me. I don't know how it happened and I don't want it to continue." Juyeon blinked then stifled his laughter. "Younghoon, as someone who's fallen for someone, once you're in, it's really hard to leave. Just accept it and let it happen. Maybe he'll like you back." This caused Younghoon to sit up and stare at Juyeon. "What makes you think he'll even look my way?" "Who wouldn't? You're handsome, have amazing vocals, you're dancing is presentable, you're kind, smart, adventurous, hu-" "I get it. I want him. But, I'm afraid he's still immune to love." "You idiot, no one is immune to love. He just hasn't realized that he can't live without you." They heard a knock on the door, so Juyeon got up to see who it was. "Hey handsome." "I know, you mean yourself." "Actually, not today." Younghoon rolled his eyes as he couldn't stand the cheesiness between the two.

** a/n: ** **don't forget to vote, share and comment! juyeon, an intellectual, amirite**


	19. Chapter 17

"So he does have feelings for Mr. Anti-love." "Seems to be the case. The poor thing honestly thinks it's easy to stop them from growing." Jaehyun snorted then laughed. "Trust me, Younghoe, he'd have to do something really terrible that you don't like for that to happen." Younghoon covered his face as he lied back down on Juyeon's bed. "You two are supposed to be helping me." "We are, by telling you to just go and love him." "But, what if-" Juyeon kicked Younghoon's leg then crossed his arms. "Don't even start with that. Just keep doing you and he'll surely like you back. If not, then his loss." Jaehyun gave Juyeon a fist bump, causing Younghoon to wish he had better friends.

___________

Younghoon was relieved that it was the weekend since he didn't have classes then. He felt like seeing Changmin today, so he sent a text asking when his shift would be at the snack shop. Just as Younghoon had confirmed the time, Eric had entered his room and gave him a hug. "This is sudden, but good morning to you too." "Hoon, can I talk to you about something?" Younghoon sat Eric on his lap so that they were facing each other. "I'm all ears."

"There's someone I really like, but I'm scared." "Why?" "Well...it's a guy..." Younghoon softly smiled then ruffled his hair. "So it's not a girl this time. I never would've guessed. Does he know you exist?" Eric nodded then took out his phone to show Younghoon a photo of them together. "We've been friends over 2 years now and I started getting the symptoms of when you like someone recently." Younghoon cooed then gently pinched his brother's cheek.

"Well, just keep doing you and I'm sure he'll come around. There's so much to love about you." "You really think so?" "I know so. Now go make plans with him and make him fall hard for you." Eric rolled his eyes then left Younghoon's room. He got himself ready then headed downstairs for breakfast. "You seem so much happier these days, kiddo." "Do I? I haven't noticed." His father chuckled then continued to read whatever was on his phone. His mother had put the plates down on the table then went upstairs to fetch Eric.

Younghoon tossed a miniature ball up in the air as he talked to Juyeon on the phone. "He had the audacity to look at someone else while we were walking. Sometimes I wonder why I even took him back." "Well, you could always leave him." "True. But I love his dumbass. Hey! Watch were you're touching, Jaehyun!" Younghoon sighed as he wanted to end the call, but he figured Jaehyun was only joking around. "Sorry about that. So, are you going to see Changmin today?" "Yep." "Aw, look at you making the first move. I swear to god Jaehyun. Touch my dick one more time and I'll make sure you can never have kids." Younghoon couldn't help but laugh at the couple.

"You wouldn't, right? Try me, Jaehyun. I didn't mean it literally! Hands off the goods. Don't act like you haven't wanted it for a while now. So what if I did?" Younghoon hung up, knowing exactly what would occur afterwards.  _"I can't even have a decent conversation with Juyeon with Jaehyun around."_  He looked at the time then realized he should get moving. "Mom, I'm going out." "Oh? You've been going out more. Just don't come home wasted or high."

___________

Younghoon waited inside the convenience store as he sipped on his drink. He spotted Changmin exiting the snack shop and making his way over. "Hope you weren't waiting long." "I don't mind waiting for you." "So, did you have something in mind that you wanted to do?" "Not much. I just wanted to sit and talk." Changmin nodded then secretly eyed Younghoon's drink. "Do you want some?" "What? No." "Don't lie. You can have some." He watched Changmin gratefully take a few sips then hand it back. "It's always been in the back of my mind. What did you mean by 'love itself' made you despise love?" Changmin rested his head on the surface then looked at Younghoon.

"I believed that love was what made my parents constantly fight. That it's what changed my mother." "So, that's why you don't want to love?" Changmin nodded as he looked away from Younghoon. "I don't want to end up like my parents with whomever I love. I don't want our kids to experience sadness like my sisters and I did." "I get it. You're just scared. Not that you asked, but, I think you shouldn't be afraid. You've seen the bad side of love, so you deserve to see the good side as well. No one said it would be all peaches and cream." Changmin lightly chuckled then placed his hand on top of Younghoon's. "You're a really great friend, you know?" Younghoon felt the pain in his heart at the word 'friend'. "Right..."

** a/n: ** **don't forget to vote, share and comment! ah, the f word**


	20. Chapter 18

Younghoon noticed that their string had started to shimmer again.  _"The hell does this mean...?"_  It had abruptly stopped and had become circulation cutting tight. "You okay? You don't look too good." Younghoon looked up then spotted some familiar guys across the street entering the snack shop. "We have to go, now." He grabbed Changmin's wrist then made a dash for the bus stop. "What the hell is going on?" "Those guys from last time." "What? It hasn't even been a month yet!" The bus arrived and Younghoon ushered Changmin on, paying for the both of them. "Where are you taking me?" "My house. They don't know we're...friends...and they don't know where I live." It hurt him to say the word "friends", but that was the least of his worries at the moment.

"You're back so soon?" "Can't talk right now. Sorry." Younghoon dragged Changmin upstairs and into his room. "That was rude." "I know, but I had to make sure you were safe." "How did you know they were there?" Younghoon wanted to tell Changmin the truth, but he knew he wouldn't believe him. "Younghoon, what is going on?" They looked towards the door and saw an angry Mrs. Kim. "The...the string. Tightness." He secretly gestured to the teal string and was relieved his mother understood. "I'll keep an eye out. Close the curtains up here just in case." She left the room and Younghoon decided to take her advice. "Go ahead and get comfortable. Make sure you contact your dad about this." Younghoon left the room and went about closing the curtains.

Younghoon's mother came up to him as he closed the last curtain in the guest room. "What's really going on?" "His father is in debt and the guys from last time showed up at where he works. They said they had another month, but it hasn't been a month since then." His mother nodded in understanding. "We're going to try and let his dad know of what's going on." "All right. I'm guessing he can't go back home either. Don't bother asking, he can stay, but, he's not going to be a freeloader." Younghoon hugged his mother and she happily returned the gesture.

"You're back." "Did you call your dad?" "Yep. After the 11th try he finally answered. He said he would stay a friend's place. I don't know who. He also promised to regularly check up on me." "That's good. My mom said you can stay here." Changmin sighed then looked down at the ground. "If only they could've waited 'til the end of next week, we'd have it." "People like abusing their power and being superior over the helpless." "That was deep." Younghoon sat down in the chair by his desk then pulled out a book from the drawer. "You don't have to stay up here." He heard Changmin get up from his bed and assumed he was going to head downstairs. "What are you reading?"

Younghoon looked up and turned to face Changmin. "The name of it is Sin." "Sin?" Younghoon nodded then showed him the book. "Interesting." Younghoon opened up the book again but found it hard to focus with Changmin so close. "Are you sure you want to stay up here? You can use the TV downstairs." "Things seem more fun with you around." "I'm flattered." He figured Changmin was reading along with him, so he told him to let him know when to turn the page.

After a while of reading in silence, someone's phone had started to go off. They had moved to the bed beforehand so that Changmin wasn't standing the entire time. "Juyeon is calling you." "Go ahead and answer it." Younghoon turned his attention back to the book then heard Changmin greet Juyeon. "Changmin? Isn't this Younghoon's phone?" Younghoon noticed Changmin had put him on speaker. "He's...busy." "So, he's reading. If it's not one thing it's another. Wait, why are you in his house?" "Some things happened and I ended up here." Younghoon took note of Juyeon's silence and hoped he wouldn't say anything incriminating. "Assuming this call isn't on speaker, I'll let you in on something." It was then Younghoon snatched his phone from Changmin and dashed out of the room.

** a/n: ** **don't forget to vote, share and comment! juyeon is all of us, let's be honest**


	21. Chapter 19

Younghoon had taken Juyeon off of speaker as he closed the door to the guest room. "Juyeon!" "Oh, hey." Younghoon moved away from the door then sat on the edge of the bed. "What were you going to tell Changmin?" "Not much. Just that you like someone. See if it got a reaction from him." "You can only tell so much from a phone call." "Well, I guess we'll never know now will we. Oh! There were some guys on campus who looked really proper. Suits and all."

Younghoon groaned then lied back on the bed. "Is something wrong?" "Yes. They're after Changmin and his father. They came ahead of schedule and they can't do much at the moment." He was greeted with silence on the other side. "Okay. I'm assuming Changmin won't be able to come to school like he usually did. Since I'm a double major, I'm sure I can get the work he'll miss." "Did I ever tell you how much I love and appreciate you?" "Nope. Never." They both started laughing then said goodbye before Younghoon hung up.

Younghoon sat up and saw Changmin leaning against the closed door. "I'm guessing they were at the school?" "Yeah. Juyeon said he'd bring over the work you'll miss during this time. I figured that I'd meet up with him somewhere on campus and have him give me the work." "Whatever you think is best." Younghoon couldn't help but feel bad for Changmin because of the situation he's in. He watched as Changmin walked over and gave him a hug. "I really don't deserve you. You shouldn't have to get involved in our mess." "But I want to." Changmin looked down at Younghoon who had returned the gesture and pulled him close. "You're dear to me, and I want you to be happy, healthy and safe."

"I'm the person who's dear to you?" Younghoon suddenly remembered what he said back then about breaking up with Chanhee because of someone dear to him. He figured there's no point in lying at this point, so he quietly nodded. "I'm glad...because you're dear to me too." Younghoon knew Changmin didn't mean it in the way he had hoped, but that didn't keep him from blushing. "Thank you, Younghoon. I truly am glad that I met you when I did. Who knows, I could be six feet underground by now." "Don't say that." "But it's true." They heard the door open but remained in their current position. "Well, if either of you are hungry, I made dinner early." "Thanks Mrs. Kim." The door closed and he felt Changmin pull away.

As Younghoon walked downstairs, he saw an unfamiliar boy standing next to his brother. "Oh! This is my brother, Younghoon." Younghoon waved as the guy briefly bowed. "I'm Lee Sangyeon, Eric's friend. We've been friends for 2 years and I'm just now meeting you. Strange." Younghoon nodded in agreement as he looked at Eric skeptically. "A-Anyway, he's going to be staying the night." Younghoon nodded then remembered they only had one guest room.  _"There's no way I'm going to let them sleep in the same room. I guess I have to make sacrifices..."_  he thought. "He can stay in the guest room. I'll have to let Changmin know..." He turned around and went back upstairs to his room.

"I have news. One, my brother is finally making moves, too fast if you ask me. Two, you're going to have to sleep in my room. I've slept on the couch before, and it's not that bad, so don't worry about me." "You sure you don't want to share the bed? It'll be warmer." "I rather you be comfortable." Changmin took a bite of the bimbap he had then sighed. "I will refuse to use your bed unless you're in it too." "Don't be stubborn." "Pot calling the kettle black." Younghoon sighed in defeat and agreed to Changmin's demand. "Trust me, everything will be fine." Younghoon checked his wrist for confirmation and saw a brief shimmer of violet. "Right..."

___________

Night had fallen and Younghoon's nerves were at an all time high. Changmin entered the room while drying his hair with one hand. "You look like you're about to have a panic attack." "Maybe I am." Younghoon felt the bed dip. "Go to sleep soon. Staying up late isn't good for your health." Younghoon took a deep breath as he turned off the lamp then climbed into bed on the other side. As he closed his eyes, he felt an arm drape over his side. "Younghoon..." He couldn't deny that fact that Changmin whispering his name was hot, but he figured now wasn't the time for that.

"Turn around and face me." "Didn't you say-" He felt Changmin's breath on his neck and was instantly silenced. "Just do it." Younghoon reluctantly rolled onto his other side and was now face to face with Changmin. "Now what?" "We talk." "But we could've done that-" He felt Changmin place his finger on his lips. "It's more fun this way, wouldn't you agree?" "I guess..." Younghoon couldn't help but blush at their close proximity. He hoped that it was dark enough that Changmin couldn't see it. "Let's play Truth or Dare." "Fine." He instantly regretted agreeing, but it was too late to turn back now. "Truth or dare." "Dare." "I dare you to kiss me."

** a/n: ** **don't forget to vote, share and comment! ooo, why did you agree hun....**


	22. Chapter 20

Younghoon could only stare at Changmin. Did he hear him correctly? A kiss? "I'm messing with you. God, you should've seen the look on your face. Let's not do dares, so truth. Do you like someone?" "No." Once again, Younghoon had lied and he felt bad about it. "Really? Thought there could've been someone." "Well, since it's truth or truth, might as well just ask the question. Do you miss your mom at all?" "No." They continued on like this until Changmin decided that he had enough. "Let's get some sleep. We have to-" Younghoon was sure he'd regret this the following morning. He was surprised that Changmin wasn't resisting and eventually pulled away. "I couldn't leave the dare unfulfilled..." He quickly got up and left the room.

___________

Younghoon woke up then remembered he had slept in the living room after last night's incident.  _"I just had to go and do it, didn't I? Now he's going know I like him and-"_  His thoughts were interrupted as he noticed that Changmin was hovering over him. "You scared me..." "Sorry. I wasn't sure what clothes I could borrow so..." He noticed that Changmin wasn't as bubbly and figured he was the reason why. "You can wear anything. I'll go shower first, since I have morning classes." Younghoon got up from the couch and walked upstairs followed by Changmin.

___________

"You what?!" Younghoon had shrinked back as Juyeon had raised his voice. "Younghoon, that was an amazingly bold move." "Amazing? He probably feels weirded out by it. I don't even know if he's into guys." Juyeon tapped his pen on the table then pointed it at Younghoon. "Did he say anything about it?" "No." "Then I'm sure it's nothing bad." Younghoon groaned then let his head rest on the table. "It's cute seeing you this way. I honestly haven't seen you this way in a long time." Younghoon felt a tug on his wrist and looked to see which string it was. "I uh, need to go. Important phone call." Younghoon quickly got up and made his way over to where Jaehyun was. "Don't get caught with your pants down." If it wasn't for Jaehyun, Younghoon would surely have Juyeon by the throat.

He eventually found Jaehyun in his room on his laptop. Jaehyun and his roommate never locked their door, so just about anyone could walk in. "Oh, great timing. I was just about to call you." "What for?" Jaehyun turned his laptop around and showed him. "It's a song for Juyeon. I plan to sing it for him as an additional birthday gift." "I didn't know you could be so romantic." Jaehyun threw a pillow at him which he easily dodged. "Well, it's nice to see you're planning ahead. If you want my advice, I say..."

Younghoon helped Jaehyun properly organize the song then wondered if this really all the string wanted him to do. "Thanks, Younghoon. You really are gifted." "You didn't call me Youngfool or Younghoe. It's going to snow." Jaehyun playfully shoved him then showed him the gift he planned to get for Juyeon. "Juyeon's always wanted one, but the price is steep." "I know, that's why I've been working." "It's going to snow twice in a row." Jaehyun rolled his eyes then closed his laptop. "Your work here is done. Begone." They both chuckled then Younghoon left the room feeling better than earlier.

___________

Younghoon was walking home after a long day of classes when he saw two guys in suits walk in.  _"I really hope they don't find them."_  he thought as he continued to keep a blank face. He got on the bus then took out his phone to call Changmin. "Hey." "They were at the school again. I'm really starting to worry they'll find out about us being friends." He waited for Changmin to respond then heard the sound of a door opening and closing. "Changmin?" He moved his phone away from his ear and saw he had hung up. "Rude..."

He arrived home then headed up to his room. "I'm b-" He looked around and saw no Changmin. He checked everywhere in the house and came to the conclusion that he had left. "Oh, Hoon. Changmin told me to tell that he was leaving and not to worry about him. I tried stopping him but he wouldn't budge." The one time Younghoon wanted the string to tighten, it wouldn't.  _"I guess he must be okay if it's not..."_  He quietly sighed as he walked into his room and flopped onto his bed.

** a/n: ** **don't forget to vote, share and comment! i wonder how his father is doing**


	23. Chapter 21

**~Time skip: 1 month~**

Things had gone back to normal. The men in suits had stopped coming to the school, which relieved most students. However, things were still abnormal for Younghoon. After Changmin had left, no one, not even the school, knew exactly where he went and what he was doing. No one could contact his father either. Younghoon was sure he wasn't dead, seeing as how their teal string waved around in the air vibrantly.

"Where do you think he went?" "For the last time, I. Don't. Know. Can't you locate him with your string?" "We both know that's not how it works." Juyeon sighed then looked at Younghoon with a serious gaze. "I've been meaning to ask you." "Hmm?" "Do you still like Changmin?" "No." "So, you're saying, if I showed you a picture of him right now, you wouldn't feel a thing." Younghoon remained silent as he knew Juyeon would prove him wrong. "You used to be so honest. Now all you do is lie. I'm concerned." "Maybe it's time for a change." "Time for a change? Everyone loves you for your honesty. Why? Because you're honest without being rude about it." Younghoon rested his head on Juyeon's lap then closed his eyes. "I'm sorry." "You better be."

Younghoon looked at the many strings on his wrist then his gaze landed on the teal string.  _"Where did you go...? I miss you..."_  he thought as he pressed the string to his lips. "Did you just kiss a string?" "Yes. Are you going to judge me for it?" "No." Younghoon's phone started ringing and he quickly answered it. "Yellow." He felt Juyeon flick his forehead and give him a harsh glare.

"Younghoon?" Younghoon's mouth went agape as he recognized the voice on the other end. "Changmin? Is that you? Are you okay? What happened? Where did y-" "Enough questions. I'm fine. I'll see you soon, okay?" Changmin had hung up before Younghoon could reply. "Well?" "He said he's fine and will see me soon. But how soon? I don't know. How could he disappear for over a month and then suddenly call like this an-" Juyeon had started laughing and caused Younghoon to sit up.

"What's so funny?" "You. You sounded like some girl from a drama. You know those kinds." Younghoon huffed then looked at his phone.  _"So he is okay. I want to see him."_  he thought as he smiled softly. "I wonder where he's going to meet you. I want to tag along too." "I want to love and support Changmin, but we can't always get what we want now can we?" "You know what..." Younghoon quickly got up and ran as Juyeon chased him around the campus.

___________

Younghoon was walking home then felt as if someone was following him. He called his mother and asked if she could come meet him outside. "I can. Stay where there are people, undeesrand?" "Yes." He hung up then made a turn to head to the main street.  _"Of all people, why me?"_  He continued walking then made his way into a store. He heard his phone ring and immediately answered. "Where are you?" "Uh, furniture store. Retsy Furniture." Younghoon hung up as he continued to walk around trying to sneak glances behind him. After a bit of walking around, he spotted his mother and felt relieved. "I don't see who would want to follow you. We live in such a good area." "Maybe times are changing." They walked out of the store, but the feeling of someone following him didn't leave.

They arrived home and Younghoon was quick to lock the front door. "Go on upstairs, I'll bring you something to snack on to calm your nerves." Younghoon did as he was told then collapsed onto his bed.  _"I must be stressed. There's no way someone would follow me."_  he thought as he closed his eyes.

He opened his eyes then noticed it had gotten darker out. He stretched out, but realized he couldn't as something was clinging to him. Younghoon looked to his left and freaked out. The person stirred then gave him a wide grin.

** a/n: ** **don't forget to vote, share and comment! secret admirer maybe?**


	24. It's not an update

**...BUT! Teho is 98 views away from 1k views! if i** **t** **gets to 1k, then i'll write an epilogue of your choice! whether it be fluff or rough sex. (i cant guarantee the sex shit will be good so think carefully)(this was on wattpad)**


	25. Chapter 22

Younghoon pushed him over then immediately got up from the bed. "Is this how you make an entrance? You could've sent me into cardiac arrest!" Changmin sat up then crossed his legs. "Sorry. I didn't realize how much of a scaredy cat you were." Younghoon felt his heart beat speed up the longer he looked at Changmin.  _"Crap, Juyeon was right..."_  he thought as he walked towards the window. "Your mom and I planned this. The following thing and all." "Seriously?" "Yep." "No wonder she didn't sound concerned enough." He noticed that the light had turned on in the room and assumed Changmin had did it. "Where did you go?"

"That I can't tell you." "Then, did you manage to pay off the rest of the debt?" "Indeed." Younghoon started drawing invisible circles on the window sill as he couldn't bring himself to look at Changmin. "I thought I should let you know...My mom passed on." Younghoon let out a small gasp. "We were notified yesterday. My dad wants to give her a funeral, I'm against it." "I'm sorry to hear about your mom." "Karma may come back and bite me, but I say she deserved it." Younghoon finally turned around and saw that Changmin's face didn't match his tone of voice.

He took note of the new flower bracelet on Changmin where the indigo string used to be. Younghoon walked over to Changmin and embraced him while pulling him close. "We both know deep down, you're sad to know she's gone. You don't have to hide it." Younghoon could hear Changmin's quiet sobs which made him hold on tighter. "As much as I hate her, she's still my mom, you know? It's not fair...she was such a wonderful woman..." Younghoon patted Changmin's head as he let go. "Shit happens. Mistakes occur. We can't go back and undo them. We just accept them, learn from them and move on." He felt Changmin hit his arm. "I missed you." "How do you think I felt?"

They talked and talked until Changmin had realized the time. "I should go. I'm sure we both have classes in the morning." "I don't, but, you're right." Changmin got up from his bed then stopped as he opened the door. "That kiss. It wasn't really because of the dare, was it?" Younghoon's mouth went dry as he tried coming up with a believable lie. "I won't force you to answer. Tell me when you're ready." With having said that, Changmin closed the door behind him. Younghoon internally panicked as he wasn't sure what to do at this point.

___________

**~Time skip: 1 week~**

"So, you still don't know if he's into guys?" "Right." "Bro, when do you plan on finding out? When he's with someone else?" "No." "Then what are you doing here? Go on and ask him." Younghoon sighed as he got up from his seat. "Juyeon, what would I do without you?" "Be dead in a ditch." "Funny."

Younghoon opened the door to the dance studio and saw quite a few people inside. He spotted Changmin over in a corner with Haknyeon. He noticed Changmin was being touchy with him and he could feel the jealousy bubbling up inside of him.  _"Relax. They're just helping each other out."_  he thought as he walked over to them. "Oh, hey Younghoon." "Hello, Younghoon." Younghoon greeted the both of them then cleared his throat. "We can talk in a bit. Haknyeon here just can't seem to get his hips to move like they should." "Sorry..." "I'm not scolding you, it takes time." Younghoon watched as Changmin held onto Haknyeon's waist. It took everything inside him to keep from pulling them apart.

"Keep practicing, Haknyeon. So, what's up?" "Did you really have to...hold his waist?" Changmin laughed then patted his arm. "Of course. Otherwise I wouldn't be able to find the problem. You can only see so much with your eyes." Younghoon bit his bottom lip then looked down at his wrist. "Are you into guys?" "What? Say that again?" Younghoon took a deep breath then asked again in a slightly louder voice. "I wouldn't know. I've never really felt anything for anyone all this time. Could be a possibility." "Oh." "Are you into guys?" "Yeah. Girls too." "Ah, you swing both ways." Younghoon nodded then felt Changmin give his back a pat. "Can we star gaze again tonight? I really had a good time last time." "Sure."

** a/n: ** **don't forget to vote, share and comment! whew, maybe things will start wrapping up soon.**


	26. Chapter 23

Night had fallen and the duo bid Juyeon goodbye. "Don't get too wild out there." Juyeon quickly closed his door before Younghoon could snap his neck. "You have an interesting best friend." "I'm glad you think so." They exited the hall then walk a little ways off and sat on the grass. "I remember when you first brought me here. I was really in awe. Never saw such a pretty sight." Younghoon hummed in response then lied back on the grass. "Do you still not believe in love?" "Nah...I don't really mind it I guess."

Younghoon thought about Changmin's question then decided to give him an answer. "The question you asked." "I asked a lot." "About the kiss." "Go on." Younghoon paused and double checked with himself that this was the answer he wanted to give. "It...wasn't. It was an accident though." Changmin started laughing then rested his head on Younghoon's chest. "The way you did it seemed intentional." "Believe what you will."

Younghoon gently stroked Changmin's hair then heard him call his name. "Yeah?" "Kiss me." "P-Pardon?" He watched Changmin hover over him then kiss his cheek. Younghoon eyed Changmin as he lifted back up and looked directly into his eyes. "You've become more attractive and it's unsettling to me." "Uh, thank you...?" Younghoon was still in awe of the kiss that had just taken place. "Well...Would you look at the time." "It's only a little after 10:30pm, Younghoon. Just relax." Relaxing was the last thing on Younghoon's mind. Changmin rested his head back onto his chest then hummed a song.

___________

Younghoon was helping a female classmate with the material they went over then felt someone staring daggers at him.  _"This is creepy..."_  "Younghoon?" "Huh? Oh, right." He continued to help her and couldn't help but smile whenever she did. "Now it makes sense. It never seems to make sense when teachers explain it, you know?" "I get what you mean. If you need anything, you know where I am." She cutely giggled then walked away over to her friends. Just as he got up from his seat, Chanhee had bounced over to him. "Chanhee. I thought you had somewhere to be?" "Not anymore, so I have time for you." "I would love to hang out with you, but I already have plans with Changmin. Maybe another time."

He felt Chanhee cling to his arm then look at him with a pout. "Come on, we haven't hung out in forever. You're always with Juyeon or Changmin..." Younghoon felt a bit guilty as it was the truth, but things between them were slightly rocky. "I promise I'll hang out with you. Just let me know ahead of time." He felt Chanhee let go then patted his head. "I'll see you later." Younghoon made his way to the classroom door and felt the same daggered stare.

___________

"Quick, 2 or 3?" "3?" Changmin pinched Younghoon's cheek then began laughing. "I'm not understanding." Changmin continued to stretch as they walked off campus. "You basically chose an action at random without knowing the consequence." "Then what was 2?" "Oh, nothing special..." Younghoon noticed the glint in Changmin's eyes and feared for what could've happened. "So, are you sure you want to help me out?" "Indeed I am. Lead the way." Younghoon followed Changmin as he walked home.

Younghoon stepped inside and was surprised by the smell. "What happened in here...?" They walked further in and Younghoon was surprised by the sight. Things were broken, torn, burnt, you name it. "So, I'll ask once more. Do you really want to help?" "Of course. I can't just leave you to do it all alone." Changmin grinned then pulled out cleaning necessities from his bag.

"If your house is like this, where are you two staying?" "At a friend's." They began picking things up and dusting off objects while remaining silent. "I want to experience love." Younghoon had stopped mid-way in picking up a disoriented throw pillow.  _"What do I say in this situation? I don't want to push him away, but I don't just want to out myself..."_  he thought as he had a heated debate with himself. "Younghoon?" "Huh?" "I said, I'd like to try it with you." Younghoon had dropped the pillow which sent feathers flying up in the air.

** a/n: ** **don't forget to vote, share and comment! is bbangkyu finally happening???**


	27. Chapter 24

"A-A-Are you asking me out?" "In a way." Younghoon was pleased with the thought then realized that he was simply going to be a test dummy. "Oh." Silence fell over them as the resumed cleaning up the house. "I need to make a phone call, you don't mind right?" "Go ahead." Younghoon stepped out of the house then dialed Juyeon's number. "Hey, Youngfool." "Jaehyun? Where's Juyeon?" "Sleep. It hasn't been too long since he fell asleep, so he won't be waking anytime soon. Did you need something?" "I did, but he's sleep so there's no point." "So you think I can't help you out?" "Exactly." He heard Jaehyun scoff and was pretty sure he had rolled his eyes too. "Try me."

"So, Changmin said he wanted to experience love and wanted to try it out with me. I'm basically a test dummy." "Glad you realized that. Did you already agree?" "No." "Good. Don't. Tell him you aren't going to be his test dummy and to find someone gullible enough to do that." Younghoon was surprised to hear decent advice come from Jaehyun. "I'll try that. Thanks, I guess."

"Everything okay?" "Yeah." Younghoon went back to his spot in the living room then cleared his throat as he continued where he left off. "I'm not going to be your test dummy for experiencing love. It just doesn't work like that." "I know." "Then why did you say it?" "Because I was scared." Younghoon stopped working and looked over at Changmin who hung his head low. He slowly walked over to Changmin and lifted up his head. "You're crying. Why?" "Because...because I get these feelings and I don't know what to do with them." Younghoon pulled Changmin close then patted his back. "Just let them be wild and free." Younghoon pulled away then softly smiled at Changmin. "It hurts more denying your feelings, so don't do it."

He felt Changmin pull him into a kiss then slowly let him enter his mouth. Younghoon pulled Changmin closer as he felt nothing but happiness flowing through his body. They eventually separated and simply stared at each other. "I like you. A lot. I have for a while now. I was afraid that the feeling wasn't mutual and I couldn't stand the thought of rejection." Younghoon kissed Changmin's forehead then let him go. "I guess we were on the same wavelength." He noticed their string had a periwinkle pattern going through it and he was unable to hide his surprise. "What's so surprising?" "It's nothing." "It is something. Tell me." "You won't believe me." "Try me." "Strings of fate." "You're right, I don't believe you." Younghoon rolled his eyes as he examined the new pattern.  _"Now that I think about it, Juyeon and Jaehyun have a periwinkle string...Is it a new level of a relationship? That would make the most sense. Why didn't I think about this before?"_  he thought as he started making a note of this new discovery on his phone.

After hours of cleaning, half of the house had looked presentable once more. "Let's call it a day. We can do more tomorrow." "You sure?" "Yeah. Maybe we can get Juyeon and Jaehyun to help." Younghoon burst out in laughter then held onto Changmin for support. "Jaehyun do manual labor? That's as rare as a plant successfully growing outside its natural habitat." "Really?" "Yep. We could possibly convince Juyeon since he'd do anything for me." They set everything to the side and exited the house. "Before you go." Changmin intertwined their hands then gave him a smile. "You're mine, okay?" "And you're mine."

** a/n: ** **don't forget to vote, share and comment! yay, bbangkyu happily ever after!**


	28. Chapter 25

Younghoon couldn't contain his happiness as he attended his classes the next day. He childishly wrote Changmin's name in his notebook with a few hearts around it. "Younghoon." He looked up and saw Chanhee smiling down at him. "Oh, hey. If you want, we can hang today, but we won't be alone." "I actually had something else in mind. Just us." Younghoon looked at Chanhee who only ruffled his hair and walked away.  _"He's been strange lately."_  he thought as he continued to write in his notebook.

___________

"Well, I have noticed him looking at you from time to time. It was something he usually did so we didn't think anything of it." "Your string did go back to being mixed, right?" Younghoon looked down and his wrist and checked again. "No..." The realization had suddenly hit him like a truck. "No, no, no..." "What?" Younghoon held Juyeon's hands then moved them up and down. "He doesn't truly want to be friends." "Oh. Oooooh. See, I told you not to date him you fucking idiot." He felt Juyeon hit his head then let out a sigh. "Look, we both know what Chanhee can be capable of. Remember back in high school when that girl confessed to you? And then the next day she suddenly said she doesn't want anything to do with you?" "I do remember." "You better do something. We don't know what he'll do to a guy." "Changmin isn't that helpless, Juyeon." "But it's Chanhee..."

___________

Younghoon was sitting on the floor with his back against the wall. He loved watching Changmin dance and Changmin would sometimes do little teases for him. "Changmin, stop it. You're going to give me a boner." "What if that's the plan?" He watched Changmin come closer then do little hip thrusts in front of him. "I swear, if you don't-" Changmin silenced him with a brief peck on the lips. "Let's just have a little fun. Come dance with me." "I can't dance as well as you." "I'll guide you." Younghoon took his hand then noticed the change in music. "Really? The tango?" "It's a classic."

Younghoon looked through his bag and noticed his notebook wasn't there. "Crap, I have to go back. I left my notebook." "Hurry back. My dick needs attention." "You're not going to get it." "We'll see who wins in the end." Younghoon rolled his eyes then headed out the building.

Changmin was putting his things away when he heard the door open. "I figured you'd give in, Hoon." He slung his bag over his shoulder then turned towards the door. "Chanhee? What can I do for ya?" "You can stop being all over Younghoon. You don't really care about him do you?" "That's none of your business." Chanhee leaned against the wall then crossed his arms. "So you don't? I figured as much. Don't play with his feelings." Changmin put his bag down then scoffed. "I see the jealously has started eating away at you. His choice is obvious, Chanhee. Give up." "No. I've waited this long and I'm not going to have it taken away from me by some shady nobody." Changmin had ran over then pulled Chanhee by his shirt. "Don't get on my bad side, it's not a nice place. Don't start getting all possessive now since you've had many chances to make him yours."

Younghoon walked up to the dance studio door then paused when he heard another voice inside. He couldn't quite hear what was going on, so he decided to wait outside until whoever it was finished talking to Changmin. He heard a thud come from inside and debated whether or not to go inside. He felt tightness on Changmin's string and knew what his choice was. Younghoon opened the door and saw Chanhee hovering over Changmin. "Changmin!" The duo looked at him and Chanhee immediately stepped back. "I'd like an explanation." "It was all Changmin. He came after me and I only defended myself."

Changmin looked at Chanhee in disbelief. "The hell? You came at me and taunted me." Younghoon looked at the both of them and now felt conflicted. Who should he believe? They both had pros and cons. "Well, either way, you need to leave Chanhee." "Fine." Chanhee made his way out and Younghoon lightly tugged on his hair. "Dude, Chanhee is crazy. He purposefully came in here to provoke me." "Changmin, as much as I want to believe you, I can't. Maybe you did start it." "Oh, come on!" Changmin snatched up his bag and angrily left the studio.

 ** a/n: ** **don't forget to vote, share and comment! problems are arising...**


	29. Chapter 26

**~Time skip: 1 week~**

Changmin had started avoiding Younghoon after the Chanhee incident. However, Younghoon wasn't deterred by this and continued to approach him. Younghoon had caught him exiting the building with papers in his hand. He jumped onto Changmin and clung to him like a koala. This action had caused Changmin to lose his balance and drop his papers. "What the hell? Get off me!" "No. You'll just run away." He felt Changmin trying to get him to loosen his hold, but he held on. "Are you really upset that I doubted you? Why aren't you considering it from my point of view?" "Because you're an idiot." "Why so?" Changmin sighed then pushed Younghoon off of him.

Younghoon watched as Changmin stood up and dusted himself off. "I know you've been friends with Chanhee since forever, but he's way too possessive over you." Changmin picked up his papers with some difficulty because of the wind then walked away.  _"So that's it. This is how he wants it to end."_  he thought as he walked towards the entrance. He checked the time on his phone and was surprised to see that the bus had arrived at the same time he did.

Younghoon sighed as he leaned against the railing and looked out towards the river.  _"And here you are."_  Younghoon looked around him and saw no one.  _"Alone. Saddened."_  Younghoon started freaking out internally as no one was around him.  _"It's okay. This'll make you fe-"_ Younghoon had stepped away from the railing and the voice immediately disappeared.  _"Someone's got to be pranking me. I know I can see strings and somehow understand their weird communications, but hearing voices just ain't it."_  he thought as he stepped closer to the railing.  _"-el better."_  He walked away and vowed to never go there alone ever again.

___________

"Mom!" His found his mother in the kitchen looking at something in a book. "Do you think Eric's friend will like this?" Younghoon looked over her shoulder and took in the pretty miniature cake. "I'm sure he will." Younghoon poured himself a drink then decided to tell his mom. "I heard voices by that river uptown." "Hoon, you're just stressed. That or you might be developing schizophrenia." "I'm sure it's not that..." Younghoon sighed as he left the kitchen and walked upstairs to his room.

He wasn't sure what he wanted to do at this point. The book didn't interest him, he didn't feel like calling Juyeon. His mind wandered back to the voice by the river and wondered if he was becoming schizophrenic. Younghoon heard his door open and saw Eric walk in. Eric lied down next to him and cuddled close. "You always seem to know how I'm feeling, especially when I'm down." "You're my precious older brother. I should know these things. So what's bugging you?" "I was by the river uptown and I heard a woman's voice. Mom thinks I may be developing an illness." "Maybe you can hear the dead through strings." Younghoon looked at Eric who shrugged in return. "Sounds better than being labeled a schizophrenic, doesn't it?" "This kid..." He ruffled Eric's hair while chuckling.

___________

Younghoon arrived at Juyeon's room early in the morning and gently knocked on it while sending a quick text to Juyeon. After a few minutes, Juyeon's roommate opened the door looking tired as hell. "Early morning visit...I see, come in. Lock the door behind you." Younghoon did as he was told then hung up his coat. He climbed into bed with Juyeon then started poking his cheeks. He continued doing so, but received no reaction.  _"Guess he's really knocked out."_  Younghoon opted for lying down with him until he woke up.

"Why do you do this? Every time something is seriously bothering you, you always bother my roommate and lie next to me." "It's comforting." Juyeon shook his head in disbelief then took a bite out of his breakfast sandwich. "Hello, my sweet Juyeon. Sup Younghoon." They greeted Jaehyun who took a seat next to Juyeon. "Did you sleep well?" "No, because of this giant over here." Jaehyun raised an eyebrow then looked at Younghoon for answers. "I needed comforting." "You couldn't bother someone else?" "Nope. It has to be Juyeon." The couple rolled their eyes then Jaehyun stole a bite from Juyeon's sandwich. Younghoon looked at their string and noticed the periwinkle pattern was faint.

** a/n: ** **don't forget to vote, share and comment! i'm doing too much aren't i?**


	30. Chapter 27

The trio were discussing the usual then Jaehyun noticed Changmin had walked in. "Your husband just came in." "Very funny." They all looked at Changmin who looked lost in thought. "Why are you still sitting here? Go!" Younghoon reluctantly got up from his seat and slowly walked over to Changmin. "You're here early." "Well, I do h-" Changmin had looked up at him and immediately frowned. "You're very persistent." "Because I don't want to lose you? I may be an idiot sometimes, but not when it comes to things like this." "Well, get on with it. What speech did you prepare?" Younghoon chuckled then followed Changmin to a table.

"There is no speech. All I have to say is that I can't just pick someone without knowing exactly what happened. I know how Chanhee can be, but I also know how you can be too." Younghoon put his hand over Changmin's and flashed him a smile. "I guess so..." He noticed that Changmin had a worried look in his eyes. "Is there something wrong...?" "What makes you think that?" "I can see it in your eyes." "There's nothing wrong. Honest." He watched Changmin kiss the back of his hand then smile. "If you say so..." "I'm going to head over and get an early start. I'll see you later." Changmin kissed his cheek then hurriedly left.

"He was acting weird." "We saw it too." Younghoon looked at Jaehyun. "He took out his phone when you looked away and looked like he was texting. And when he left, he did it again." "He was probably answering his dad." "Secretively? Sure." Younghoon sighed then looked at his wrist again. The periwinkle pattern had regained some of its color, but it was light. "I suggest you go after him. Things are usually found out by snooping around." "I'm not going to do it." "Suit yourself. Anyway, I have to get to class." They watched Jaehyun get up from his seat then give Juyeon a brief kiss.

___________

Younghoon looked up from notebook and caught Changmin looking in his direction. Changmin had quickly looked away, making Younghoon question things. He looked to his left and saw Chanhee staring angrily at Changmin. " _There's something else going on here..."_  he thought as he observed the two instead of the actual class. Class eventually ended and Younghoon moved quickly to get to Changmin. "Younghoon." "Quiet." Younghoon took his hand and led him to their secret talking area.

"What's going on? Don't lie to me, Changmin." He waited for him to respond but he remained silent. "It's Chanhee isn't it?" "He said he'd hurt Juyeon if I didn't back away. I know how important Juyeon is to you..." Younghoon sighed then dialed Chanhee's number. "Hey." "We have a long overdue talk." "Okay...Where?" "Dance studio." Younghoon hung up then held Changmin's hand as they walked to the studio he hoped was empty.

They waited for Chanhee to show up then quietly watched a few people practicing. "Younghoon." "Hm?" Changmin shook his head then leaned against him. Chanhee had finally entered with a smile on his face. "Younghoon! And you." "Chanhee, I'm just going to cut to the chase. Just get over me. I don't have feelings for you. And stop with the threats, it doesn't suit you." Younghoon heard Chanhee laugh and immediately became skeptical. "Easier said than done, Hoonie. Who's to say I haven't carried out my threat? That thing doesn't deserve you." "That's not up to you to decide, Chanhee. If you really love Younghoon, you'd respect his decision and support him all the way." They both looked at Changmin who had just laid down words of wisdom.

"That's true, but who says I should have to live by that?" "Chanhee, give it up. Can't you do this for me? Please?" Chanhee looked at the both of them then closed his eyes. "Fine! Only because Younghoon pleaded me to." Younghoon gave Chanhee a hug and rocked side to side. "There's this kid who's been asking me about you. It was Hyun something. I don't know what he wants, but he gave me this to give to you." Chanhee took the paper then walked away. "I was worried that he'd pull a knife on us." Younghoon turned around then flicked Changmin's forehead. "He's not stupid enough to do that." "But smart enough to make threats you can't just ignore." Younghoon sighed then sat on the floor. He was thankful that this episode had come to pass.

** a/n: ** **don't forget to vote, share and comment! i guess this means it's coming to a close? noooooooo**


	31. Chapter 28

Younghoon had started regretting telling Changmin about the incident from the other day. "If I can hear it as well then you can't be ill." "Okay, but-" "No buts." Changmin walked over to the railing then waited for Younghoon to join him. "Everything seems fine to me." Younghoon reluctantly walked over then looked out towards the water.

 _"I knew you'd come back."_  Younghoon grabbed Changmin's arm then felt a pat on his hand. "If you want to hold me, just say so." "You didn't hear it?" "Hear what?" "The-"  _"Everything will become better when you join us."_  Younghoon looked at Changmin who didn't look at all scared. "I can't stay here..." Younghoon turned around and walked away, hoping Changmin would follow.

He felt the circulation cutting tightness then saw it was Changmin's. Younghoon turned around and saw Changmin staring out at the water.  _"Nothing is out of the ordinary. Maybe I should drag him away just in case."_  Younghoon walked back over to Changmin then gently held his hand. "What?" "Just come." Changmin let Younghoon lead him away. Younghoon stopped at a certain distance then looked back at where they were standing.  _"Surely it had to be that."_  he thought then noticed Changmin had started coughing. "Are you okay?" "No...My chest feels like it's on fire."

___________

Younghoon took a sip of his drink then checked the time on his phone.  _"It's been over an hour...Don't tell me something is seriously wrong."_  He watched Changmin and the doctor walk out then received a hug full of love from Changmin. "Well, you two came at a good time. He should be alright now." "What was wrong?" "It was caused by past trauma to his torso. Things could have gotten worse had you waited." Younghoon nodded then watched the doctor walk away. "Younghoon, I feel you're constantly saving my life." "Well, I am." He felt Changmin give him a kiss on the cheek then head towards the entrance. "Come on, there's still plenty of daylight left." Younghoon quietly laughed as he followed after Changmin.

___________

Night had fallen and Younghoon still wondered how he and Changmin ended up at his home. "Changmin, do you plan on going home?" "You don't want me here?" "That's not what I-" "I understand. I'll go." Younghoon pulled Changmin back down then held him hostage. "Ooooh. I see what it is." Younghoon gave Changmin a questioning look. Changmin pulled Younghoon in for a kiss then asked for entry into his mouth. He felt Changmin running his hands over his body and he wasn't going to deny that it turned him on.

He subconsciously grabbed Changmin's ass and earned a low moan from the other. He felt Changmin reach down and touch his hard on. Changmin had pulled away then looked Younghoon in the eyes. "I can see it. Your lust." Younghoon did mean what he said as a violet string had wrapped itself around their teal string. "If you know what I want, then why are we stalling?" "I mean, are we just going to rush into it?" He looked away in embarrassment as he heard Changmin chuckle. "Well, it's just me. Don't be afraid." "That's reassuring..." Changmin laughed then hugged Younghoon from behind. "Let's finish what we started, hmm?" "I don't know..."

** a/n: ** **don't forget to vote, share and comment!**


	32. Chapter 29

**Hi! Driwed here. so yes, this chapter is now going to only be this long as i have gotten rid of the completely horrific writing that i seemed to deem smut. thank you for understanding** ❤️

"We just did this but none of your family members came in on us." "Now that I think about it, you're right..." Changmin slowly sat up then glanced over himself and Younghoon. "We should shower." "Together?" "No." Younghoon pouted then saw Changmin roll his eyes. "Sarcasm. I'm sure you could've picked that up." Younghoon shrugged then got up to fetch clean clothes for the both of them. "I'll go start the water." "Okay."

After a well deserved shower, Younghoon started drying Changmin's hair as they walked back to his room. "Is no one here?" Younghoon shrugged then proceeded to look into every room. He went downstairs followed by Changmin who was holding onto the hem of his shirt. "Strange. They were home, weren't they?" Changmin nodded then tugged in his shirt. "What?" "I'm hwungry." "Don't start that baby talk." He rubbed his temples as Changmin had started throwing a mini tantrum.

"You're lucky I like you, otherwise your ass would be out the front door already." Changmin grinned as he watched Younghoon cook. "So, you do know how to cook. You should cook for me everyday." "What are you implying here?" "That you come live with us and cook for me." Younghoon snorted then faced Changmin. "As if." He turned his attention back to the food then put it on a plate.

He placed the plate of food and a bowl of rice on the table then sat down across from it. "Eat up." Changmin moved himself closer to Younghoon then held up some food to his mouth. "I'm sure you're hungry too." "I'm fine. Just eat" "I can't if I know you aren't. "Fine." Younghoon couldn't deny how happy it made him that Changmin cared a lot about his well being.

** a/n: ** **don't forget to vote, share and comment!**


	33. Chapter 30

Younghoon woke up the following morning and took notice of the position he was in. Somehow he and Changmin had tangled themselves together during their sleep. Younghoon gave Changmin a peck on the lips in hopes that it would wake him up. It didn't.  _"Guess I'll have to try it this way..."_  he thought as he started carefully moving out of Changmin's hold. He successfully detangled himself without waking Changmin then left the room in hopes of finding breakfast waiting for him.

Younghoon spotted his father sipping on coffee while watching the morning news and putting his papers in his folder. "Morning." "Morning, kiddo." He walked into the kitchen and saw him mom finish setting up the table. "Morning, Hoon." "Morning." He found it strange that no one seemed intent on telling him where they all went the night before. "Mom." She paused in the entry way of the kitchen and looked back at him. "Yes? Actually, can it wait until after breakfast? Your brother needs to get ready and eat or else he'll be late." His mother walked out and his father had walked in. He quietly ate his food as his mother had entered with a sleepy Eric and a groggy Changmin trailing behind.

Younghoon's father had left along with Eric, leaving his mother, Changmin and himself in the house. Changmin had gone upstairs to lie down, so he took that chance to talk to his mother. "Oh, you had something to ask earlier. Go on." "Where did you all go last night?" "We went out to eat. We would've taken you both with us, but you both seemed comfortable." Younghoon eyed his mother to see if she was lying. "Is that really why we weren't invited?" "Of course not. I happened to peek in and see that violet string and I knew what I had to do." She winked at him then chuckled as he gave her a "really" face.

Younghoon closed the door to his room and was surprised Changmin hadn't sat up at the sound. "Changmin, don't tell me you're asleep." He heard mumbling come from Changmin's direction, so he walked over then sat in front of him. "Say that again." "I said I'm not." Younghoon noticed Changmin looked really tired and wondered if he was sick. "Are you okay?" "Yeah, why?" "You just look really tired." "Ah."

Younghoon looked down then suddenly remembered. "Don't you have classes today?" "I'm not going to go." "Go or else no lip locking and dick for a month." He couldn't help but laugh as Changmin had instantly popped up and quickly got himself ready to go. "I'll see you later, Hoonie." "Don't start that." "But it's easier to say." Younghoon shook his head then motioned for Changmin to go. He sat on the floor for a bit before getting up and looking through his drawer. "I should finish this..." He sat down at his desk and opened up to where he left off.

___________

Younghoon walked into class that afternoon and saw Chanhee talking with an unfamiliar person. He walked over to them then draped his arms over Chanhee's shoulders. "Care to introduce me?" "This is Hyunjoon. That guy you mentioned to me a while back." Younghoon took a look and sure enough, it was that guy. "It's weird. I've never seen you around before. Are you new here or something?" "No. I've been here as long as you have."

Younghoon looked away in shame then heard the duo laugh. "It's fine, Younghoonie. It's a big school, so it's easy to forget or not notice people." Younghoon noticed a periwinkle string was around their wrists connecting to each other.  _"Them too, huh..."_  he thought as he reached out towards Chanhee's wrist. Chanhee gave Younghoon a puzzled look then noticed his spaced out look. "What is he doing?" "Oh, it's a habit of his..."

** a/n: ** **don't forget to vote, share and comment! it's still going. how to reveal what these strings mean...**


	34. Chapter 31

Younghoon walked to the dining hall with Chanhee and Hyunjoon then spotted Juyeon sitting alone. "Hey, I'm gonna go talk to Juyeon. I'll join you two in a bit." Younghoon walked over to Juyeon then wrapped his arms around his neck. "Hey you." "Hey, Younghoon." Younghoon nuzzled his cheek against Juyeon's then noticed he was looking over some papers. "Whatcha got there?" "Oh, nothing important." He watched Juyeon stuff the papers in a book then start eating. "You're quiet today." "I'm not loud like Jaehyun. Thought you knew me best." "I do, and I know you aren't like this." Juyeon had moved Younghoon's arms from around his neck, took his hand then guided him to one of the seats.

"I'm just stressed because of tests." Younghoon peered into Juyeon's face and took notice of his serious look. "Is there more?" "No." "Don't lie." "I'm not." They heard someone sit down at the table and Younghoon noticed that Juyeon had moved away from Jaehyun. He couldn't understand what the problem as their string looked perfectly fine.  _"Maybe its just a misunderstanding..."_  he thought as he continued to observe the two. "Juye-" Juyeon immediately stood up, grabbed his stuff and walked away. "Juyeon, where are you going?" "Anywhere that  Jaehyun isn't." Younghoon looked back at Jaehyun who looked frustrated. "What did you do now?" "For once, I don't know. I just went over to his room one day and everything was fine. Then he snapped."

"Did you make any sexual moves...?" He noticed Jaehyun had gone silent and took it as a confirmation. "Maybe he thinks you just want him for sex. And if that's not it then, you're on your own. Mostly because I don't know what happened that day." Younghoon stood up and patted his back before heading over to Chanhee. "You said a bit, but that was like hours." "Your friend seemed upset. What happened?" "Oh, just...lover's quarrel." Hyunjoon nodded in understanding then went back to their previous topic.

___________

"I think Juyeon has every right to be upset. But, nothing will be solved if he keeps avoiding him." Younghoon sighed as he watched Changmin slowly go over some dance moves. "It's still good to see Jaehyun is putting in effort unlike in the past." "He didn't in the past?" Younghoon shook his head then felt a tug on his wrist. "Juyeon..." "What about him?" Younghoon looked up and saw Changmin had a curious look on his face. "I have an idea. You call Jaehyun here and I'll do the same with Juyeon. We'll force them to talk, but let's get Jaehyun here first." He waited for Changmin to finish his call and patiently waited before calling Juyeon.

Jaehyun entered the studio then slid over to where they sat. "Did you need something?" "Yep. Just wait." Younghoon had stood up and walked over to the door so he could keep Juyeon from leaving. The door finally opened after some time and Juyeon walked in. "Oh, hey Younghoon." Juyeon looked to his left and immediately turned around to walk out, but Younghoon dragged him away from the door. "You two are going to sit here and talk. We'll give you privacy, but keep you from leaving." Younghoon sat Juyeon down then went to stand by the door with Changmin. "Should we just leave him like that?" "They've been dating since forever. Jaehyun knows how to handle a violent Juyeon." He gave Changmin a reassuring pat on the head as they watched Jaehyun calmly keep Juyeon from creating bloodshed.

"Huh, that was quicker than I thought." They watched as Jaehyun held a crying Juyeon. "Woah. Is Jaehyun crying too? That's a rare sight." "It is?" "The only person he cries in front of is Juyeon, but even then he doesn't do that often. He doesn't want to appear vulnerable in front of others." Changmin nodded in understanding as he followed behind Younghoon. "Is everything okay now?" The sitting couple nodded as Juyeon hid Jaehyun's face. "I'm going to take him somewhere isolated. You know how he feels about shedding tears." "Take pics for future blackmail." "I'm right here!" They all laughed as Jaehyun was clearly upset now.

** a/n: ** **don't forget to vote, share and comment! this seems like filler doesn't it?**


	35. A Treat!

**I finally decided on what i'll do. I publish the rest of the chapters for Teho, along with Forget Me Not and a few for Dawn of Love. I'll throw in two chapters for** ** ONE ** **other story of your choice! Thank you all so much for everything <3**


	36. Chapter 32

**~Time skip: 2 months~**

Younghoon watched as Changmin worked hard at the snack shop. He took another sip of his drink and decided to finally eat his food. He wanted to stay as long as possible without arousing suspicion from the other workers.  _"I bet most of these girls just come to see him. And maybe that other guy too."_  he thought as he looked at Changmin and his coworker. Younghoon looked and confirmed that his coworker was indeed being swooned over. "Excuse me, sir."

He looked up and saw Changmin standing by his table. "First of all, I see you checking out Kevin. Second of all, you've barely touched your food since you got it and it's worrying the rest of the staff." He took note of Changmin's hushed voice as he wasn't here to tell him such things. "Sorry. I'll finish up here and wait for you outside." "Is there anything troubling you, sir?" "No, I'm sorry to have caused concern." Younghoon winked then watched Changmin bow then walk away blushing.

Younghoon sat in the convenience store as he waited for Changmin. "You're here again?" He turned around then gave the cashier a sheepish smile. "Sorry, Haknyeon. This is the closest place to that snack shop and that has seats." Haknyeon rolled his eyes then put a piece of gum in his mouth. "Just don't cause a ruckus like last week." Younghoon chuckled then rested his head against the cool surface. He felt himself drifting off and tried to stay awake, only to fail.

Younghoon felt someone shaking his body, so he opened his eyes to see who. He sat up and stretched then heard someone say "Ow." He looked to his left and saw Changmin babying his nose. "Was that me? I'm sorry." Changmin shook his head then slid some food over to him. "Did you steal this?" "I bought it from here, you idiot." "Oh." He looked to Haknyeon who simply gave him a thumbs up in response. "So, I'm going to do this." Younghoon felt Changmin give him a peck on the lips then smile. "Will you do me the honor of being my boyfriend?" "I thought we already were?" "I wanted to properly ask." "Then, I will be."

They heard clapping come from near the counter then laughed. "Encore! Encore!" "Haknyeon, you need a hobby." "You two are it though. Seeing how your relationship develops is a wonderful pass time." Younghoon rolled his eyes while Changmin quietly laughed. "We'll come back on the weekends to keep you company, okay Haknyeon?" "Wow, you'd actually do that?" Younghoon nodded then felt accomplished having seen Haknyeon smile for once. "Well, thank you. Now it won't be so lonely." They all briefly laughed then Haknyeon went back to studying.

Younghoon couldn't help but smile whenever Changmin talked because of how much he loved his voice. "Are you listening?" "Yeah. Continue." "What did I say then?" Younghoon racked his brain for anything that could help him. "So you weren't. It's like talking to a wall." Younghoon shrugged then checked the time. "We should go. It's getting late." "Ah, but I want to be with you longer, Hoonie~." "I do too, but I'm sure you had a tiring day." Changmin leaned against him then sighed. "You make the tiredness go away." "I doubt that." "I mean it." "Honestly, both of you should just go. I can only take so much mush in a day." They both chuckled at Haknyeon's sourness and decided to heed his suggestion.

Changmin happily skipped ahead of Younghoon who didn't want this moment to end. "That reminds me." "Hm?" "Your old home. Do you guys plan on selling it?" "Yep. Somehow we managed to find another place, but it's farther from the college." "I want to see your new place." Changmin slowed down and turned to face Younghoon. "Are you sure? It's about an hour trip from here." "It's the weekend. I don't have any classes on the weekends." "If you insist."

After a long trip, they got off the bus in an area that Younghoon wasn't familiar with. "It's not far from the bus stop. Come on." He quietly followed Changmin as he took in his new surroundings. They eventually stopped at an apartment complex that had quite a few floors. They entered and took the elevator up to the 8th floor. "You live so high up." "Well, we didn't feel comfortable with who lived down below us on the other floors. They seemed really...shady." Changmin opened the front door and walked in with Younghoon trailing behind. It looked empty. One would think no one lived here at all. There were a few boxes strewn about along with a few furniture items set up and ready for use.

They entered one of the rooms and Younghoon could instantly tell it belong to Changmin. "You couldn't salvage much from your old home, right?" "Right. But, this gives us a chance to make new memories." Younghoon went back into the living room and noticed a few books laying on top of a box. One caught his eye as it had numerous colored strings on it. He picked it up but was instantly confused as it was in a language he didn't know. Regardless, he opened it up and saw a familiar looking object in it.  _"It couldn't be about the strings. Mom said only a few exist and they weren't anywhere near us."_  he thought as he continued to flip through it.

"Oh, my dad brought this book home from overseas. He said some weird lady gave it to him and told him to hold onto until he met the great great great grandson of some guy. Said the last name was Kim. My dad was confused because there are numerous Kims in the world." "Do you mind if I take this home to read?" "Go ahead, my dad won't even notice." Younghoon looked up directions to get home then bid Changmin farewell. "Well that was sudden..."

** a/n: ** **don't forget to vote, share and comment! and the saga continues**


	37. Chapter 33

"Mom! Look at this." His mother walked over and looked at the book in awe. "How did you get this?" "Changmin." His mother opened the book then immediately closed it. "I don't know the language." His mother's eyes lit up then she took out her phone. "What are you doing?" "Calling your father. He knows it." Younghoon sat down as he listened to the conversation. "Good news is, he said he'll translate for us. Bad news is, he has to work late today." "I can wait."

___________

Younghoon's father walked in and saw two eager faces staring at him while one held the book out to him. "I just got here..." They pulled him into the living room and sat him down on the couch then placed the book on his lap. He read over the basic knowledge then turned to the page with a periwinkle string. "What's it say?" "It's called 'True Soulmates', whatever that is. It's the next stage after true love. A major event has to occur and the couple has to have a strong sense of trust and love while overcoming it." Younghoon remembered the periwinkle pattern on the teal string and looked at it once more. "True soulmates huh..."

He heard his father flip the page and talk about other strings they've never heard of before. "A teal string means...wow, this is hard to read." "Come on, stop joking." "Fine, fine. It says 'Purest of Love'. It says it usually forms around time of birth." Younghoon asked his father to find the pages that talked about string movement. "It says tugging of a string means something important is happening or is about to happen. Tightness means trouble is about to happen. The tighter it is, the more serious it is. Really loose strings means the relationship is disappearing because they're forgetting each other."

They listened to his father translate a few more pages before he closed the book. "I need to get to work. We can do this another time." Younghoon's father left the living room and Younghoon was happy to have learned more about  the strings. "Well, I'm sure your questions have been answered." Younghoon nodded as he looked at the book once more.

He dialed Changmin's number and didn't have to wait long for him to pick up. "This is your husband speaking." "So I ha-Wait, husband?" He heard Changmin burst out in laughter then waited for him to quiet down. "Anyway, I know you're not going to believe me, but I'm going to tell you. I can see strings of fate." Younghoon expected Changmin to laugh or make fun of him, but he was nothing but silent. "That sounds pretty cool." "I thought you didn't believe in myths." "But I believe in you." Younghoon wasn't sure how to respond to something like that, so he kept quiet. "So, is it just red strings?" "No. More like numerous colors."

"Do we have a red string?" "No, it's teal. That now has a periwinkle pattern in it." "What does it mean?" "I didn't know until I took the book home. Teal strings only appear at birth and it means purest of love. And periwinkle means true soulmates." He heard Changmin chuckle and could tell he was smiling widely on the other end. "That's really cute. I'm glad it's you. If someone asked me if I'd do it all again, hell yes I would." Younghoon softly laughed then decided to question him. "And why is that?" "Because I'm whipped for you. Like, I'd do anything for you at this point." Younghoon started thinking of things that he might possibly ask Changmin to do for him, but instantly pushed the thoughts away. "I'm going to hang up now. See you." "Love you." "What?" "I said, hug you." Changmin had hung up before Younghoon could confront him.

** a/n: ** **don't forget to vote, share and comment! have your strings questions been answered?**


	38. Chapter 34

Younghoon anxiously waited for Changmin in the dining hall as Jaehyun was typing up something last minute. "Younghoe, chill out. You're not going to miss him that easily." "I know, but I've got to know! He wouldn't answer my calls or texts." "How many times did you call him back...?" "I don't know...over 20?" Younghoon sighed as he let his chin rest on his arms. "That's...a scary amount." Younghoon faced Jaehyun who was looking at something other than his laptop. He followed his gaze then rolled his eyes as he saw what he was staring at. "Now I see why your string is fluctuating between red and periwinkle. Juyeon is doubting you."

"Eh? Why?" Younghoon pointed in the direction he was looking in not too long ago. "He says you tend to glance at others when your with him. It makes him feel like he's not enough. Hasn't he told you this?" He felt guilty for being the one to tell Jaehyun, but Juyeon wouldn't have told him straightforwardly. "I don't know. It's not like I want to. It just happens." "Hm, talk to Juyeon about it, not me. And speak of the devil." Younghoon waved down Juyeon who had started jogging over. "Hey Jae, Hoon." "So, I just told him how you felt. He's got something to say." "Does he now?" Younghoon could tell Jaehyun looked nervous, but he couldn't blame the guy.

"I know I can control my actions and I'm trying. Habits are hard to break. So, just bear with me. Okay?" "I'll try." Younghoon grunted and turned his head away as Jaehyun pulled Juyeon down into a kiss. "Oh!" Younghoon jumped out of his seat and sped walked over to Changmin who had entered the dining hall. His gaze met Changmin's and caused him to immediately leave.  _"_ _Making_ _me chase you_ _huh_ _..."_  he thought as he picked up his pace. He followed him down a familiar path then realized were Changmin was heading.

"You purposefully made me follow you, didn't you?" "Yeah." Younghoon fanned himself then looked over Changmin. He couldn't help but admire the way his ripped jeans hugged his thighs and the little amount of ass he had and the way his shirt and hair flowed in the wind. "Checking me out, huh? Don't start getting horny now." Younghoon sputtered like a fish as he tried to hide his obvious embarrassment. "Anyway, I'm sure you wanted to talk about yesterday." "Right. What did you actually say. You practically whispered it." He watched Changmin walk closer and hold his hands. "I love you, Younghoon." Younghoon bit his bottom lip as he tried to suppress the happiness he felt. "I love you too, Changmin..."

The couple gave each other warm smiles before one pulling the other into a passionate kiss. Changmin pulled away and looked up into his eyes. "Let's make precious dumb memories together so we'll have interesting stories to tell our kids." "Woah, already thinking of kids?" "Never too early to start." "Okay, but there's the financ-" Younghoon had quieted down as Changmin had put a finger to his lips. "Let's worry about that later. Right now, I just want to be in your arms." He held Changmin close and didn't plan on letting go.

** a/n: ** **don't forget to vote, share and comment!**


	39. It's Over

**That's it. But, i still owe you all an epilogue, but it may be a wait so, read other things in the meantime. i guess. <3**


	40. Epilogue

**sometime in the distant future...**

"And break." Younghoon slowly walked over to where his towel hung and wiped his face. He felt gross as he was coated in sweat and dried sweat. However, he was pleased as it meant he was working hard. The door opened and a familiar face put a smile on his. "Jiwoo." He jogged over to her then gave her a brief hug. "Don't ever hug me again while you're all sweaty. Anyway, I brought food." "Ah, have I ever told you how much I love you?" "Hm, nope. Never." They both laughed as Jiwoo started taking things out of the bag.

Younghoon walked back in and sped over to the food. "So, are things getting better...?" She sighed as she shoved rice into her mouth. "Nah...They are trying though. I appreciate that at least." Younghoon nodded then heard his phone ring. "Do you mind?" She shook her head and motioned for him to step out. He closed the door behind him then answered the call. "Hoon, they won't let me in." "Stop whining. I'll come down." He pokes his head into the room and informed Jiwoo of the situation. She nodded and he quickly headed downstairs.

"No one told us you were expecting a guest." "I didn't know either." He grabbed his wrist and quickly pulled him along. "Hey, don't hold me so tight..." "Oh." He let go then boarded the elevator. "Are you surprised?" "No, not really." He pouted then proceeded to hit Younghoon's arm. The doors opened and they stepped out. They entered the room and Younghoon was surprised to see another person besides Jiwoo. "Juyeon, when did you get here?" "Like a minute ago. Who's the guest?" "Don't act like you don't know me." Juyeon laughed then ushered him over.

"So, I finally get to meet you, Changmin." Jiwoo held out her hand and Changmin happily shook it. "So, what's the relationship between you two?" She looked between Younghoon and Changmin. "He hasn't told you?" "The reason is-" "We're dating." Jiwoo gasped then started smirking. "Why did you say he was only a friend?" Juyeon quietly sipped his juice as the questioning continued. "Do you not want to date me anymore...?" Younghoon kissed his forehead and assured him that that wasn't the case. "It's just Jiwoo over here is quite the blabbermouth and we both know your company doesn't tolerate dating."

Changmin sighed then leaned against Younghoon. "I don't want to be there anymore. I don't want to hide you." "Aww..." The couple looked at the two who were now cooing. "We'll let you two have some alone time." She dragged Juyeon out of the room and they were now alone. "Should I just quit and get a different job...?" "Not after all the hard work you've put in. We both know how hard it was to get signed." "You're right...I just want to be able to call you more than just my best friend on social media. I want everyone to know that I'm absolutely in love with Kim Younghoon."

Younghoon gently kissed Changmin and was pleased with the familiar shimmer that radiated from their beautiful teal and periwinkle mixed string. They broke apart and Younghoon felt tempted to kiss him yet again. "Once is enough. You know what happens when we go for another..." "Right..." "Are they coming back to eat this...?" "Probably not. And I bet they're listening right outside the door too." Changmin quietly got up and walked over to the door. He opened it and in fell Jiwoo and Juyeon. "Heeeey." The couple rolled their eyes as Jiwoo and Juyeon fixed themselves and joined them.

**thank you all for waiting! I decided to go with fluff because we all need some rn**

**after what deobis have experienced for the past two days. new hair colors and that teaser.**


	41. Christmas Special!

Younghoon sat in a cell as police men and women walked about. He sighed heavily then looked to his side. He wasn't too fond of his cell mate and hid himself in a far corner. "Younghoon!? Younghoon!?" Changmin dashed over to the cell in tears. "You idiot, what did you do!?" "Changmin, calm down." "How can I when you're behind bars!?" Younghoon took one of Changmin's hands then squeezed it. "Do it for me." How did he even get into this situation?

**Earlier on Christmas Day...**

Changmin smiled happily as placed breakfast onto two plates for him and Younghoon. They were miraculously given the week off and decided to make it into a little vacation for themselves. "I wonder what was in the bag Juyeon gave us..." He quietly went back to the bedroom to find out.

He sat at the table then cut the ribbon. He reached in then went through a flurry of emotions.  _"I'm going to kill him when we get back."_  Changmin stuffed the bag of conforms into the apron pocket as he heard Younghoon coming. "Merry Christmas, Hoon!" Younghoon sat at the table then thanked Changmin for cooking before digging in. "Ah, wait here." Younghoon watched as Changmin excitedly left the dining room. "It's too early to be that bubbly..."

Changmin reentered with a present in hand. "For you." "I, well, thanks..." He started to feel guilty as he had remembered that he left Changmin's gift back at home and he didn't want to disappoint him. "Actually, hold onto that." "Huh?" Younghoon finished his food then took off for the bedroom. Changmin frowned as he wanted to take pictures of Younghoon unwrapping it. He quietly sat down then heard thunderous footsteps on the floor. "Younghoon, where-" He winced as Younghoon had slammed the door shut.

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

"What a great time for the car to break down..." He kicked the car then looked in horror as a piece of the car had fallen off. "Shit..." He called Changmin and explained everything to him and succeeded in getting him to deal with everything. He felt bad, but he couldn't let time pass him by waiting for road service.

He saw Changmin approaching him then motioned for him to move faster. "Thank you so much. I owe you." Younghoon kissed his forehead then took off. "You could at least tell me where you're going..." Changmin sat in the car quietly as he was hoping for morning cuddles as they drank tea and listened to Christmas carols.

Younghoon checked his wallet then sighed. He was fresh out of cash and wouldn't be paid until next week. "Juyeon!" He waited for Juyeon to pick up then smiled when he did. "Jae speaking." "Where's Juyeon?" "You called at a bad time. He's currently sleeping to regain his strength. We went rather hard this morning." "Of all times you two decided to be horny..." "I was going to offer to help, but since you wanna be rude as hell-" "Wait, please. I need a ride back home. I'm out of cash and the car we took broke down." "Eh, I'm sure Juyeon would want to see you, so add an extra 10 minutes to 5."

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

Younghoon sat in a cafe as he waited. He knew the drive was long and thanked the heavens for someone as kind hearted as Jaehyun. "Is everything okay?" Younghoon looked and saw someone had sat down across from him. "Yeah, just waiting for someone. I'm not loitering, bought a drink." He raised his sandwich then took a bite. "I see. Are you traveling to go see family?" "No." "Ah, I heard it'll snow later today. I hope you can enjoy it with someone." He gave them a smile as they got up and left.

"So she works here..." Younghoon texted Changmin for a while then was relieved to see a familiar white car. He wrapped up his leftovers then headed out. He slipped into the backseat and was greeted by Christmas songs. "Hey, Jae." "He's still sleep. I wish I could sleep as much as he does." "Well, he's doing a lot more since debuting with the others." Jaehyun petted Juyeon then pulled off. "So, why are you going home alone?" "I left Changmin's present." "How could you forget that?" "Overwhelmed."

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

"And we're here." "It's supposed to snow later." "I'll check." Juyeon stirred as Younghoon hurried into the building. "Why are we at Changmin's? Didn't they leave like three days ago?" "Youngfool forgot Chang's gift. So I drove him here to get it." Juyeon leaned over as Jaehyun checked the weather. "Looks like I have to deliver bad news..."

Younghoon picked up the two boxes then smiled. "Now to get back and surprise him." He took a few steps forward then stubbed his toe. "Please, just let me live world." He closed the door then locked it. All he had to do now was get driven back.


	42. Christmas Special!!

"What!? She said it'd be nice!" "Sorry. It's dangerous to drive with what's predicted." Younghoon sighed in frustration. Everything was against him. "Why don't you just wait until the next day?" "Lend me some cash. I'm taking the subway." They looked at Younghoon with worry. "You're insane. Does he really need these gifts now?" "It wouldn't feel the same if it was given the day before nor after." Juyeon fished in his wallet and handed him a few bills. "Be careful, Hoon." He thanked them then took off for the underground subway.

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

He checked his phone again to make sure he was going on the right direction. He missed Changmin dearly, and he could feel Changmin's sadness as well now that his mind wasn't clouded. He looked at their mixed string as it waved normally like the others.  _"I'll be back soon, I promise Changmin..."_  He gently held the string as the train took off from the station.

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

He emerged from the station and was hit from all sides with snow. The ground was blanketed in white and the sun had almost completely set. Younghoon began his travel back as he followed the directions on his phone. Then it shut off. "Hey..." He tried just about everything before concluding it dead. "Guess I'm on my own..."

He passed by various shops and a few bars here and there. He noticed a few people up ahead and wanted to avoid them, but the shortest distance was to go straight. He passed by with ease then froze when they called out to him. "What's your problem?" "Nothing." Younghoon internally panicked as they walked closer to him. "Such a small gift. Who's it for, the dead?" "I'm just gonna go." He took off at top speed, at least what he could manage in this snow storm. He looked back and saw they were chasing him. "Why is everything bad happening to me!?"

I had turned back to see what had happened then saw them surrounding one of them. I walked over as I couldn't turn a blind eye. "You okay dude?" "Are you...?" I noticed a police men was heading in our direction and I hoped he could get this guy help. "What's going on here?" "He did this to me. I don't even know him yet he took out his anger on me." Younghoon frowned as he denied the accusations. "These two are witnesses sir." "Is what he saying true?" They nodded without hesitation.

Younghoon was soon riding in the back of a police car as it drove away from his destination. He sighed as his Christmas day had been nothing but trouble from the start. "It's Christmas yet you decided to beat up an innocent guy." "I'm innocent sir." "That's what they all say." Younghoon remained quiet as he was taken to the station.

**Present**

"You really went all the way back just to get my Christmas gift?" "Yeah." Changmin motioned for him to lean closer then proceeded to shake him. "I can't believe you went through all of that just for a silly gift..." "I did it because I wanted to see you happy." "All I really wanted was to spend the entire day with you...maybe cuddle and have some tea..." Younghoon felt a wave of sadness go through their string. "I'm sorry...I ruined our Christmas." Changmin stepped back as someone opened the cell. "You're free, Mr. Kim. We hope to never see you here again."

They walked home hand in hand as the snow storm had quieted down. "It's a pretty sight." "I hardly had time to appreciate it, especially since I caught it at a bad time." Changmin leaned closer to Younghoon then sighed contentedly. "Let's have a Christmas do over tomorrow." "I'd like that." Younghoon watched as Changmin threw snow in the air then screamed happily as it fell on him. "You'll catch a cold." "Then catch one with me!" Changmin ran away in fits of laughter as he had hit Younghoon square in the face with snow.


End file.
